Mokuba's Plan
by Pearl of the Dark Age
Summary: Since Mokuba had turned 13, he knew everything! He devised the perfect plan to encourage his elder brother to fall in love, but what Mokuba didn't anticipate was that Seto would fall for someone completely unexpected.
1. Plan A

**Mokuba's Plan**  
By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

I began writing this fic down on paper on Feb. 6, 2006. I had the story in mind months before, but I finally got inspired to write fan fiction in January. I knew it would take me a while to write this story, but I did not know it would be four months! The funny part is that this one was written before the one to come because this one is shorter!

**This fic has been rated M for a reason! If you have a preference for this and only this, then have patience! Because it will be a while yet. If you do not like this sort of stuff, do not read this fic! You have been warned and informed!**

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**Author's Note**: I stretched the age difference between Seto and Mokuba from 5 years to 9. Also, I have a lot of references. If you see a number in parenthesis, it corresponds to that number listed in the reference section, which is the very last chapter. Forgive me, please! This was my first, true fic. Most importantly, I do not condone running away. If you feel the need to run away - get help from a trusted adult or agency. Also, do not try any of Mokuba's plans. I doubt that they would work for you and could lead to potentially dangerous and/or hurtful situations!

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**Disclaimer**: This is a fanfic. I do not own any part or whole of Yu-Gi-Oh or anything else referred to in this fic. I am not making any money off this, either. No copyright infringement is intended on the author's behalf. _For full list of references see the last chapter._

**Chapter 1**

Like all thirteen year olds, Mokuba could not understand why his well thought out plan was backfiring. In retrospect, he knew that keeping his mouth shut about "sensitive" subjects achieved the best results. However, the results were that he stayed out of harm's way while no progress was actually accomplished.

_No,_ Mokuba thought.This would not do anymore. Like all thirteen-year-olds, he felt he already knew everything. It was the first day of summer vacation, and Mokuba was spending the time wisely executing his plan in Seto's office at Kaiba Corp. He decided that taking a few blows was well worth the end result. Problem being the blows were always harder to take than anticipated. His older brother was as impassive and immovable as a glacier. Seto Kaiba was the boss.

_No. I'm thirteen! I'm practically a man now! I should be able to throw my weight around, too, _Mokuba agreed with himself earlier that day upon deciding to clean out the skeletons from the closet. But like all thirteen year olds, he was frustrated with the unfairness of it all. He had a plan: he needed to "fix" Seto's life.

Now, if you know Seto Kaiba, you know that this is a bad plan!

"_Nii-sama_! (7) Didn't you learn anything at the end of Battle City?" Mokuba asked, exasperated.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Seto replied without a pause in his typing. He was an expert at multi-tasking, which had taken a new specialty of late. He permitted pointless discussions with his pubescent brother about abstract things that had nothing to do with Kaiba Corp while he was busy doing three to four things already.

_So, he's playing the feigned amnesia card! _Mokuba knew from experience this was signaling the closure of the conversation. "What Yugi and Jonouchi said about friendship? How anger and hatred leads you to failure?" Mokuba persisted.

There was a small noise of assent coupled with a knowing look. "What's your point?" Seto asked. Normally, he would not allow such prattle while he was working; on the other hand, Mokuba always was allowed more leniency than others.

Pressing his advantage, Mokuba continued, "I know you've… uh… changed in a good way since…"

"We built Kaiba Land," Seto agreed. His eyes never left the computer screen, but he was - at least - listening.

_Yes! It's working! _Mokuba cheered mentally. He took a deep breath before the spectacular swan dive, "But you could still be a little nicer."

Silence. Mokuba _had_ managed to get his nii-sama's undivided attention. Fingers stopped typing, his whole body turned towards Mokuba, and all went deathly quiet. The expression remained neutral, but this was never good. Seto let the silence spiral horribly. Mokuba fidgeted. Mokuba was sinking. He decided, against his better judgment, to go out in a blaze of glory. "Aren't you lonely?"

This had the effect Mokuba had anticipated. There was a fleeting shadow across Seto's features, but he merely said, "No."

This would not have been bad if Mokuba had let it go. He had a plan. He spread his arms, ready to fly. He was going for the gold medal. "I don't believe you," he said flatly.

"Mokuba," Seto reassured in a kind voice he only used with his brother, "I don't need anyone. I'm far too busy to worry about such _trivial_ matters."

"Nii-sama!" That swan dive had perfect form. "You have _never_ been on a date! You only have one friend! _Ano_, (7) Yugi and his friends consider you to be their friend - despite how you feel. They would help you if you asked!"

"I don't need help from anyone!" Seto did not yell, but he spoke with such force it would have scared away all with weak constitutions.

However, Mokuba was a Kaiba, too. He was a thirteen-year-old Kaiba - with a plan. "What about me?" he shot back with equal force.

"What about you?"

"Don't you need me?"

"That's entirely different," Seto admitted. These sorts of discussions were becoming so numerous he found himself feeling threatened every time Mokuba approached him without really understanding why. But there was no reason to feel threatened by Mokuba. Seto was calming down. He opened his mouth to pacify his sibling further, but was beaten to the punch. (6)

Mokuba was not deterred by Seto's apparent lack of interest, "What will you do when I move away?"

"What does this have to do with me being nicer?" Seto diverted.

_The evasive card, _Mokuba thought. _Too bad, it leads back to exactly where I was going._ "Glad you ask," Mokuba said, cheerfully bouncing in his chair, "because I was thinking that if you had a relationship with someone you'd be more considerate. Thus, you might be a little nicer."

Seto looked for a moment like he was going to explode, but then he smiled. Calmly, he asked, "What _exactly_ do you hope to accomplish here?" Each syllable was laced with bright bulbs spelling out the word _warning_!

"I just thought, Nii-sama, that if you got laid once in a while you might be happy; and then, you'd be a little nicer."

Mokuba knew instantly that he had gone too far.

If Seto was a volcano, Mokuba knew he would already be dead. The eyes were damn terrifying to behold. Mokuba avoided looking directly into the burning light. Nii-sama was so enraged, his whole body quaked as he stood up.

"_Ja ne_!" (7) Mokuba squeaked… and ran!

_

* * *

_

_So much for that plan_, Mokuba thought as he plopped onto his bed. He had decided to go home once he had reached the lobby of Kaiba Corp. The doorman whistled him a taxicab, and he spent the ride swallowing back tears. By the time he reached the front door of his home, he was renewed with a fresh vigor.

Now, he had Plan B. This new plan required much more thought than Plan A.

Plan B: Run away.

Mokuba got this brilliant idea from reading the back of the book assigned for him to read over summer vacation: "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler." (2) It was assigned by his English sensei. He supposed it was to improve his English, which was not very good. He had not started it yet. At the time it was assigned, Mokuba, in all his wisdom, figured that it was probably boring. _Who would run away to a museum? _He had planned on asking Isono to write the report for him. Now, he gave the book a kiss because it showed promise.

Mokuba would have to pack the essentials. He wished he could take his TV and video games with him, but he knew better. He settled for his Nintendo DS lit. (1) Some clothes, a toothbrush and paste, a hairbrush, soap, the book - of course, and the rest of his homework all fit with little room to spare in his duffle bag.

The museum would not do. He would have to go and live with someone - preferably an adult that had a good paying job. He needed someone who could provide him with a place to sleep and lots of food. This also had to be someone Seto would not think of when he surely would go hunting for him.

Mokuba thought for a while. Presently, he came up with no one. To pass the time, he wrote Nii-sama a note explaining that he was running away for the summer holiday and that Seto shouldn't panic but use this time wisely to reconsider what Mokuba had said earlier.

He resumed sitting on the edge of his bed. The duffle bag was stashed underneath. The finished note lay on the desk. The first person Mokuba had thought of was Yugi, having talked of his good virtues earlier. This would not work, nor would any of Yugi's friends, nor any of his own. These would be the first people Nii-sama would suspect. He also did not wish his friends bodily harm. Then, he thought of the girl who sat two seats ahead of him in calligraphy class. Mokuba hated that class. Sensei always put vermilion marks on every paper Mokuba turned in, much to Nii-sama's dismay. But he never missed a class just to watch his beloved's hand move with such grace…

"No. Her parents would surely turn me in," Mokuba said aloud. He glanced around the unresponsive room, desperate for inspiration. A butterfly net he had not used in eight years lay upon the desk. Mokuba had found it while rummaging through his closet. It made him think of Insector Haga. _No. _That would drive him nuts; and Haga would surely turn the situation to his advantage. He glanced at his clock, but the only thing it told him was the time. He looked at the wall… nothing. The door, the window, assorted framed pictures, toy box… _Toy box? _Mokuba studied the toy chest. The first person it reminded him of was Pegasus. Mokuba had no intention of staying with a former enemy, and Pegasus still turned his goosebumps white!

There was also Amelda. Mokuba did not consider Amelda an enemy. He was not sure if Seto still did or if he would think to look for him at Amelda's place. Mokuba remembered the redhead with great detail. He thought of the love that was in Amelda's eyes when he handed Mokuba the Dynadude action figure. _Yes. Amelda will do_.

_There is just one problem_, Mokuba thought. _Does Amelda live in Japan?_

Time for Plan B, part two.

_

* * *

_

Seto arrived home. His back ached. His head throbbed. His throat was parched from all of the yelling. Several unfortunate employees had happened upon the young CEO within half an hour after Mokuba had departed. Needless to say, they are currently searching the Want-Ads.

It looked as though Mokuba had left out a cup of tea for him. This cheered him up. He drank it in three gulps. Almost instantly, the pain receded.

He then proceeded up the elaborate staircase to his younger brother's room. Opening the door slowly, observing the dark room and the glowing alarm clock, which read 22:17, Seto crept in quietly. He failed to notice the note.

Seto walked noiselessly to Mokuba's bed. The lumpy shape was fast asleep. Seto leaned over, relieved to see the peaceful expression upon his brother's face. Seto exhaled the tension he withheld. He had been worried that he might have over-reacted earlier, and that Mokuba's feelings were hurt. Seto carefully brushed a strand of hair out of the way and kissed him on the forehead. Smiling to himself, he left the room just as silently. Seto felt like an automaton as he brushed his teeth and mindlessly undressed - not caring to put the clothes in the hamper. When his head hit the cool pillow, instant darkness pressed upon his brain.

Seto woke up at 14:36 the next day, bewildered as to why he slept in so late. _Ugh_, he groggily thought. The phone beside his clock blinked _17_, indicating the number of messages there were. He had no doubts that they were employees diligently inquiring of his whereabouts. _Where's my cell? _He searched the clothes he left the night before lying on the floor, picking them up and putting them away as he went along. He hated leaving a mess. _Atta!_ (7)he thought, digging it out of a side-pocket of his slacks. _Nineteen messages? I don't have time for this!_ Wondering if perhaps Mokuba slept in, too, he went to his brother's room. There, in the broad daylight, did he see the note.


	2. Plan B

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Are you disappointed? I didn't think so.

Chapter 2

The stars twinkled overhead, winking at the earth below because they knew…

A junky old Toyota (1) with peeling blue paint came to an abrupt stop in front of the dingy downtown police station. There were no skid marks made by the worn-down tires. The threads were showing; revealing the over abuse of both the accelerator and the brakes. Two cats serenading the alley hissed at the intrusion.

The driver inside did not stir. Amelda's heart pounded so fiercely in his ribs that he swore it was going to bruise. White knuckles clutched the steering wheel. The thought had not occurred to him to let go.

_Could it be? _he asked himself again. He drew steadying breaths. His blood was supersaturated with adrenaline. He was on the verge of hyperventilation. He forced himself to think of what Raphael would say. _This has to be a mistake._

But then again, Raphael didn't get calls in the middle of the night from the police claiming they have your younger brother in custody. The car door opened and the alley cats scrammed. Amelda stood up, surveying the darkness contrasted to the brightly lit interior of the station. He glanced at his watch. It's 03:14 at the Domino City Police Station. _This is a very big mistake._

He did not know what he had expected, but this was not it. There were a dozen or so occupants inside. Amelda glanced around the scrupulously clean interior. There was a tell-tale puddle of coffee on the floor with the styrofoam cup (3) a few centimeters from the ankle of its owner. The young lady's chin was on her chest, snoozing blissfully. The hems of her pretty white slacks were quickly turning brown. In fact, everyone was asleep, including the cops. Everyone except one, who's face shined with innocence, but the velvet eyes betrayed him.

For a moment, Mokuba and Amelda just looked at each other.

"Okay, I'll bite," Amelda said. "Explain."

Mokuba looked at the floor. He spoke in just above a whisper, "Onii-chan, take me home with you."

"Don't call me that," Amelda replied with equal volume. He knew it was customary in Japan for young boys to call older boys 'older brother,' but coming from Mokuba, it only irked him. The disappointment that it was not in fact Miruko still lingered. When Mokuba did not respond, Amelda folded his arms. "Where's Kaiba?" he asked.

"Home."

"Why did you have the police call me? Why did you tell them that you are my younger brother? They told me you couldn't remember your name, or where you lived." Amelda was getting suspicious, "What kind of ploy is this? It's highly irregular of Kaiba."

"This is my idea, not Nii-sama's. I pretended to not know my name because I don't know your surname," Mokuba confessed. "I'm running away."

Amelda looked alarmed. He glanced around at all the drugged people, "What did you give them?"

"Nothing serious," Mokuba defended. "It only causes sleep and a few hours of amnesia. I also fixed the security tapes and the computer files. So, I was never here… and neither were you." Mokuba looked proud of himself, but Amelda only looked disdainful.

"Come," Amelda said. Mokuba followed. He gave Amelda's car a surreptitious look; Amelda only glared at him, daring him to make one comment as they got in. Amelda buckled himself, checked the mirrors, and prepared himself to go, but he did not start the ignition until after he said, "You better pray that the young lady in there isn't pregnant."

Mokuba looked horrified, "I didn't think…"

"Exactly!" Amelda cut him off swiftly, "You didn't think. Obviously this is a well thought out plan, but you failed to realize the consequences of your actions!" Amelda's voice boiled over in anger as they drove. Suddenly, he was furious, "What you did is dangerous on so many different levels! I don't even know where to begin! Not just for those people back there, but for me, your brother, and yourself!"

"How do you know I drugged Nii-sama, too?" Mokuba inquired, surprised.

"I didn't," Amelda admitted, equally surprised. This helped to ebb away the anger. Glancing over to his passenger, he explained, "It's dangerous because the second he realizes you're gone, he might do something stupid. He loves you! Why would you do this to him?"

Mokuba proceeded to explain the events that took place the previous day, about his 'plan,' and his 'theories' on love. Amelda listened without interruption. There were a few times Mokuba thought he saw Amelda smile, but he could not be sure. Then, they were both silent for awhile, until they stopped and Mokuba realized where they were.

"This is my house!" he shrieked.

"Yes," Amelda replied. "You're not going to run away. I refuse to condone your childish irrational."

"I'm not childish!"

"Yes, you are. I listened to you and heard all your points. Now, you're going to listen to mine! Causing anger, grief, and worry is not the way to change someone! Furthermore, you can't force someone to change! _Especially_ Kaiba. Next, you took a huge risk in not knowing if I lived in Japan. I only moved here a year ago. Also, how do you know if all is forgiven by me? How do you know I'm not dangerous to you?"

"Because I never believed you were evil," Mokuba said, "I understood your pain. I also knew that once Raphael told you that Dartz was responsible, you'd give up taking your revenge on Nii-sama." Mokuba gave him a stern look.

Amelda did not say anything for a second. It was all true, even to the part that he learned the truth from Raphael. He never spoke to Kaiba after he lost his soul. "It was still very risky," Amelda stated, "to come downtown in the middle of the night on your own. There are many sickos out there." Mokuba could hear the concern brimming over. He hastened to make himself look chastened.

"Why me?" Amelda asked suddenly. "How did you know I live in Japan? Why did you think I'd go along with your plan?"

"Why you? Because I trust you, Onii-chan," Mokuba said sweetly. "I didn't know if you lived here or not. I had the police figure that out for me. If you didn't live here, because the last I heard, you were in Pisa-"

"What?" Amelda interrupted.

"Pisa," Mokuba said matter-of-factly. "That's where you were last rumored to be." Amelda suddenly did a very good impression of Seto's stony visage. "Ano, I figured that you might move here," Mokuba continued, "and I gave myself enough time by drugging Nii-sama just in case you didn't. I figured you would go along with my plan…" he faltered, "Actually, I never figured that."

"Hmph," Amelda said, "So far, I can only see wrong in this. You give me one good reason why I should comply, and I'll do so."

"Are you afraid of Nii-sama?" Mokuba chided.

Amelda smirked. Mokuba knew it was stupid to ask. "Reverse psychology doesn't work on me," Amelda stated simply. "Come on, one good reason… You've got five minutes, or in you go. You've wasted enough of my time. I have to drive all the way back to Osaka."

"You live in Osaka?"

"Yes. Now, hurry up."

Mokuba could only think of one good reason. He hoped it was good enough, because it was all he had, "If you do this for me… I'll consider us even."

"Even?"

"Yes, don't forget that you're indebted to me for trying to kill me and Nii-sama."

_Dammit! _Amelda bashed his head on the steering wheel. He rubbed his forehead gingerly and turned to look at Mokuba. Mokuba was smiling, because he knew he had struck gold. _Dammit! _Amelda thought again. "I hope you packed enough clothes," he muttered bitterly.

_

* * *

_

Livid. Lethal lividness. Seto Kaiba was so angry it should have been illegal. It should have killed him. After reading the note, the first thing he did was scream. Next, he called the police. Then, he called his secretary for the list of all the phone numbers of Mokuba's sensei and classmates, which was updated annually. He proceeded to ring them one by one. His anger incensed with each futile attempt.

A hurricane was blowing inside of his chest as he hung up the receiver on the last call. The wind blew in his ears, deafening him. He heard no words of consolation. He fought back tears. He felt completely alone.

His secretary informed the news media. The police had already come by for the formal report. A picture had been distributed. So far, there were no leads.

Alone. Seto's livid anger cut his hand as he gripped the pendant that hung around his neck.

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**A/N**: All the information that can't fit into Author's Notes will be posted in my forum, **Ink**. Visit the forum - there are probably answers to questions you might have. I already have a bunch of topics up, and there will be LOTS more coming! _Trust me... _Especially when I start my next warshipping story, which my beta, gamma, and delta readers already know about! 

_REVIEWS PLEASE_!


	3. Teddy Bears & Knives

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Do not own - got it?

Chapter 3

The next morning in Osaka, Amelda woke Mokuba up for breakfast. He continued his lecture of the previous night. He reminded Mokuba that it was not _cool_, it was not _smart_, nor was it _safe_ to run away. He wanted Mokuba to fully understand the wrongness of it all. The night before, Amelda had decided to take Mokuba with him not only because he was indebted to him, but because he feared Mokuba would just try again. Next time, Mokuba might not be so lucky. Then, Amelda would feel that he himself was responsible. Miruko's death weighed on him as it was…

Amelda lectured Mokuba for four and a half hours. Mokuba was lectured by many people on a regular basis, mostly from Nii-sama and authorities at school. However, it was different coming from Amelda. He could draw upon his own experience of living on his own at such a young age. He did not live; he merely survived. Mokuba nearly cried when Amelda told him of the time he was deathly ill, sleeping in a stone-cold building that was drafty from mortar holes. Amelda described what it was like to be completely alone without water or heat - with no one to comfort you. At this point, the stony face returned; Amelda fell silent.

Mokuba wondered whether or not Amelda had to go to work. Just because it was summer vacation for him, did not mean the rest of the world was on holiday. It turned out that not only did Amelda not work during the day, but he did not work during the week, either. This puzzled Mokuba, and he wondered vaguely if Amelda was still involved in something shady. He did not press the matter.

In the end, Amelda and Mokuba exchanged "pinky promises." Of course, this was after Amelda explained to Mokuba what a pinky promise was, that it was part of his own culture growing up, and emphasizing the sacredness of it. Mokuba promised to stay inside at all times and be good, and that if Amelda kept him for a month they would be square. Amelda promised to protect him, feed him, and keep him well for a month. He also promised that at the end of summer vacation (which is only a month), he would return Mokuba to Kaiba in one piece.

While Amelda was napping on the couch, Mokuba fixed himself a sandwich for lunch. The apartment was what Mokuba had expected, after seeing the car. It was small. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all one room, which was about only half the size of Mokuba's bedroom at home. There was only one other room besides what was called the bathroom, and that was Amelda's bedroom - which was the size of a closet. Somehow, Amelda had managed to squeeze in a double-size bed (4) and cascades of books.

_The biggest difference_, Mokuba thought, _is that my room is organized. _Amelda's apartment was free of crumbs and stains, but it was a mess. Mokuba knew Nii-sama would have popped a hernia if Mokuba kept his room this way. He thoroughly enjoyed just _looking _at the place and its odd decorations, even if he did not know what everything meant. He could not understand why there was a strand of what looked like Christmas lights indoors. What puzzled him more was that they were chili-pepper-shaped light bulbs - instead of the usual shape Mokuba was accustomed to; bordering the top of the walls - circumnavigating the square, multi-functional room. _Why? _he had to ask himself. The posters made more sense, even if he did not know who the musicians were. There was a foot-tall, nude figurine on a stand in a corner, fluffy teddy bears in assorted colors - each with a little picture on its belly - strewn about the room, a dartboard with some guy's picture taped onto it that Mokuba did not recognize, and a large steak-knife embedded into the wall. This last bit was the most disturbing, but it did not look like Amelda had aimed for the dartboard, but the door - as it was right next to the frame. Still, even with teddy-bears and knives, Mokuba felt safe and secure, rather than endangered.

A little bit of jelly oozed onto Mokuba's fingers as he bit into his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He licked it off, figuring he wouldn't get yelled at about napkins from Amelda. Mokuba contemplated life confined in this small space for a month. He watched the black and white TV, which Mokuba had first mistaken for a radio. It was very small with a large aerial on top. In fact, it doubled as a radio. Amelda had explained it was a vintage Japanese model from the mid-60's. _In other words_, Mokuba thought, _cheap_. There was no way to watch movies on it, much less play video games. The picture flickered in and out as he watched the report of a missing 13 year old - himself.

There were several pictures of him at different ages, including a recent one. _The anchorwoman describes me pretty well_, he thought. With a heavy feeling, he noticed that Seto did not appear once in from of the cameras.

_

* * *

_

Seto watched the video tape from his private home security camera over and over again. There, the taxi pulled up. There, his precious Mokuba got in. There, it drove away moments later. Upon this discovery, he immediately copied this footage and sent it to the police. They were still working out who the driver was.

Had Seto not stopped the tape at that point to replay it again and again, he would have found the little matchbox on wheels that was Amelda a few hours later. The thought never occurred to Seto to watch the rest of the tape. So, it did not occur to him to record the entire thing, either. If he had, the police would have arrested Amelda immediately afterwards.

Panic. When Seto felt panic he did not think straight. Seto rarely ever panicked, but he was panicking now. Replay. Again he watched the taxi pull up at midnight. Again, the sweet, little boy got into the monstrous machine. Again, the vile thing transported away the only thing that put breath into Seto's lungs. Seto was drowning. Replay.

"Kaiba-sama…" a voice trembled. Seto was as safe to approach as a dehydrated crocodile. There was no response. The tape came to the same end of the scene, again. Replay.

"Kaiba-sama?"

Very reluctantly, Seto turned off the monitor. "This had better be good," he acrimoniously cautioned.

"We found the taxi driver, sir."

_

* * *

_

When Amelda woke up a few hours later from his nap, it was to find that Mokuba had tidied things up. Messy piles were now neat piles. The breakfast dishes that sat soaking in the sink now were dripping dry in the strainer. His coat was hanging on the hook by the door (the knife is on the other side) instead of laying on the floor. His stuffed bears were stacked in a pyramid against the side of the couch. A pink bean-bag (8) had been unearthed. His boots that were under the table were missing. Amelda presumed correctly that Mokuba found where his other shoes were at the bottom of the bedroom closet and returned the pair to its brothers and sisters.

Unwilling to bestir himself, Amelda just relaxed for a while, stretched out like a cat. He observed Mokuba lounging in the bean-bag reading a book with a familiar lengthy title. Amelda smiled to himself. He had read that book once. He found it ironic that not only had he read it, too, given that not everyone would know what it was, but that it paralleled the current situation. He remembered Miruko and him planning to run away to the local museum, after Amelda had finished reading the story to him. Unlike Mokuba, their reasons were based on the book itself. Miruko wanted to take a bath in the fountain; despite the fact that he loathed taking baths at home. Amelda wanted to see the 'Angel' statue. He remembered how disappointed he was when he went to the library to look up the works of Michelangelo and discovered that the statue did not exist. However, his disappointment was overridden when he happened upon David. (5)

Amelda smiled. _It's bittersweet_, he thought. He cherished that story mostly because it was the last thing his father had ever given him before he died. Also, because it opened up a new discovery for him. He never found his 'Angel,' but he did find David. Amelda glanced over to the figurine in the corner. It was a porcelain replica, very expensive, but worth it. Amelda had a fine appreciation for art, among other things.

Mokuba glanced up from his reading. He followed Amelda's gaze. "What is that?" Mokuba asked, interrupting Amelda's reverie.

"Huh?" Amelda saw that Mokuba indicated the statue, "Oh… that is David. When I was ten, I read that same book you're reading now. I went to the library to look up the works of Michelangelo, and I discovered that statue there."

"You've read this book!" Mokuba exclaimed, "Will you write the report for me?"

"Not a snowball's chance in hell," Amelda replied with a laugh. "That looks like homework! I'll help you out, but I'm not doing it for you."

"Why is it called, 'From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler'?" Mokuba asked, confused. "Why is it such a long title?"

"The answer to your first question you'll find at the end of the book. As for the second question, I have no idea," Amelda answered jovially.

"How good is your English?" Mokuba asked suddenly.

"Pretty good, since it's one of my first languages."

"How can you have more than one first language?" Mokuba pressed.

"I learned English and my home language simultaneously," Amelda explained. "Both of my parents could speak English. My father's was better because he was the ambassador to the United States. So, he spoke in English when I was a baby, and my mother responded in our native tongue. They kept this up until I was three. By then, I could speak three languages. My mother had started me on Latin. Then they started the bi-lingual conversations again for Miruko. He used both languages in the same sentence when he first learned how to talk. My parents told me that I did, too."

"How many languages do you speak now?" Mokuba asked, fascinated.

"Eight."

"Eight!" Mokuba couldn't believe it. "So, you speak Italian, too, right?"

"No," Amelda was slightly confused by this presumption.

"You're not Italian?"

"No," Amelda was still confused. "Where are you getting this from?"

"Weren't you in Italy?" Mokuba asked. It was not entirely out of the blue. Amelda's memory jogged back to Mokuba's query the night before.

Amelda thought for a moment, "I was there on vacation, but that was years ago. It was around the same time that your brother was hosting KC Grand Prix. I think your information is well out-of-date."

"Really?" Mokuba rhetorically asked. He was more intrigued than worried about poor information. That was Nii-sama's department. "You are not Italian?"

"No," Amelda returned, bemused.

"Then, what were you doing in Italy?"

"I have a boot fetish," Amelda teased. Mokuba looked at him with wide-eyes, failing to get the humor. "I have been to many countries," Amelda explained, "but I've never seen Italy before. I always wanted to explore in great depth the art museums, churches, and the country-side. Plus, there's the Statue of David…" he pointed to the figurine.

Mokuba gave the statue a furrowed expression. He glanced down at the bean-bag he was sitting in. Next, the posters on the walls… they were all men. Then, he remembered seeing the glittery high-heels in Amelda's closet when he put the redhead's boots away. Mokuba gave Amelda another one of his stern looks, "Only perverts have fetishes."

"That's harsh," Amelda scoffed. "Don't be so judgmental. Besides, I was kidding."

"Amelda," Mokuba queried, "Is there something I ought to know about?"

"Aren't you the sleuth," Amelda cajoled. "I'm not Italian, but I am gay."

Mokuba was surprised that Amelda didn't show the slightest bit of embarrassment. Amelda did not move, did not flinch or blush. He continued to smile benignly as if they were talking about the weather. "I guess it doesn't bother you," Mokuba said quietly.

"Bother me? Ha! Why would it bother me?" Amelda laughed. He never had this reaction before, "Usually it bothers the person I tell. Are you bothered?"

Mokuba bit his lip, chewing it over momentarily. "No," he decided. "As long as you don't go for kids, there's no reason it would bother me."

At this, Amelda sat up, outraged, "I'M NOT A PEDOPHILE!" He screamed it at the top of his lungs. The television in the next apartment shut off momentarily, then resumed at a louder volume. Amelda's neighbors were used to this.

"I'm sorry!" Mokuba quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!"

"There's a difference between men and boys," Amelda continued at a normal decibel, "and despite what you think, you are not a man." His voice was as cold as Seto's could get, "I'm attracted to _men_, not _boys_. Furthermore, you would never accuse a heterosexual woman of being a pedophile, would you? Even if you found her attractive - like your nii-sama's secretary that you mentioned last night. You have a lot to learn about love and about life. Your _theories_," he mocked, "are as immature as you are."

Mokuba stood up suddenly, throwing the book to the floor. For a split second, Amelda feared he was going to run out into the hallway to who-knows-where. Astonishingly, Mokuba ran straight at Amelda and flung himself into his arms. His whole body shook with sobs as he cried like he never cried before. Mokuba was pouring out emotions that had been locked up for years: the anger and resentment of being orphaned, the burdens he shouldered with his nii-sama, the chaotic events in his life, the rampaging hormones… No matter how well laid your plans may be, or how balanced the house of cards are stacked, something can always come along and blow the whole thing down. Mokuba and Amelda both were learning that you can always start over again.


	4. Plan C

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I… (sniffs) …do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. (sobs hysterically)

Chapter 4

"You took him to the police station," Seto slowly repeated.

"Yes," the taxi driver said. "I remember it well. He was very quiet."

Seto glared at the detective standing next to him. He was not sure who to yell at first. The three men and Isono were standing in a conference room in Kaiba Corp. The detective had brought the taxi driver that transported Mokuba two nights ago.

The detective pretended this bit of information was impersonal. "You didn't think that it was suspicious that young master Kaiba left his home in the middle of the night to go to the police?"

The driver looked uncomfortable. Shifting his weight while sticking his hands in his pockets, he muttered, "Ano, he was going to a _police _station. I didn't see any harm in that."

"Why don't the police have any records or recollections of this?" Seto roared at the room in general. Isono quickly answered a phone that started ringing in the awkward silence that followed.

Ignoring the outburst and the tangible tension, the seasoned detective continued to question the driver, "Did you observe him actually entering the police station?"

"Uh… yes…"

"You sound so sure," Seto said sarcastically.

"Yes, I remember him opening the door, because he had looked back at me and waved good-bye," the driver said defensively. "I waved back and left."

Seto felt his guts being dragged over red-hot coals and broken glass. He slumped into a chair and covered his face with one hand. "Get out," he said quietly. "All of you."

"We'll look into this right away," the detective said before following Isono and the driver out the door. "I'll send you what ever we find."

"Just get out…" Seto whispered coldly.

_

* * *

_

Two days later, Seto was back behind his desk in his office, typing away as he had done so the last Thursday. Bright summer sun streamed in through the wall-to-wall Venetian blinds behind him, casting alternating vertical lines of shadow and light upon Seto. It was Monday. Being a workaholic, Seto looked forward to Mondays; it meant the start of a new week, new tasks to delegate, and new assignments to complete. But he did not enjoy this Monday. He had spent the weekend riding an emotional roller coaster. The ride had not ended, but he was beginning to gain back more of his self-control.

"Kaiba-sama," Seto's secretary called over the speaker phone.

"Yes?"

"Yoshi Kiyosaki is here to see you."

"Send him off - I'm busy. Tell him I'll call him later," Seto said. He was not in the mood to see the man now.

"He won't leave, sir. He's being insistent," her voice returned several seconds later.

"I said not now!" Seto yelled back through the speaker phone. There was no reply. Seto did not have any doubts his friend came by to offer his help with the search for Mokuba.

_Yugi and his friends consider you to be their friend despite how you feel. They would help you if you asked._

Again, as it had all weekend, parts of Seto's last conversation with Mokuba returned to haunt his thoughts. It turned out that Yugi was the first person to come by to offer help when the news went public. Seto had shunted him away after ascertaining one thing: Yugi did not have Mokuba.

Seto hardly talked to Yugi after the ceremonial duel in Egypt, which had been several years ago. He had a hard time facing him. He was not ready. Seeing Yugi only brought back memories of the coolest duel he had ever witnessed, and a longing…

…TO FINALLY DEFEAT YUGI ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Isono walked in. "Seto-sama, the police have sent this report." He handed his boss a manila envelope.

"That was quick," Seto commented with a touch of sarcasm. "It's about time they took this seriously." After a quick review of the package's contents, he scowled. "They have no evidence that Mokuba was ever there." Seto studied some of the finer details of the thorough report. He knew without even examining their computers that the lack of evidence was due to Mokuba's handiwork.

"Isono, let's go," Seto commanded.

"Yes, sir."

_

* * *

_

Two hours later they were both back in Seto's office from the police station. Seto was both dismayed and proud that he had taught Mokuba everything he used to erase his tracks. Seto had no luck in recovering information any more than the police did. It was a dead end. The CEO brooded with his elbows upon the desk, his nose resting on top of interlaced fingers, which covered half of his face. Isono sat across at a slight diagonal. Seto had not dismissed him, yet.

"Seto-sama," Isono broke the silence, "may I have permission to give my opinion, sir?"

"You have permission," Seto replied. "Proceed."

"Thank you, sir," Isono said, and he continued with a tone of one walking around eggshells. "The fact that the trail went so cold clearly shows Mokuba-sama's level of strategic planning. This encourages me to conclude that Mokuba-sama is hiding in a safe place."

"Yes," Seto agreed. "I was thinking the same thing myself. The only question is where is that place?" Isono did not respond. He did not have a clue in spite of wondering about it all day. "Take the rest of the day off, Isono," Seto said. "There isn't much you can do for me now. Thank you for your devotion."

Isono began to protest, saying that he was not tired if Seto-sama was not tired, but Seto cut him short with a response of finality. Isono gave a deep bow and departed. Seto leaned back into his chair, crossing his legs and resting his hands in his lap. He glanced vaguely at the computer screen, looking for a distraction. A pop-up box from his private email account announced _one new message_.

_That's queer_, Seto thought. _Very few people know my private email address. It must be Mokuba!_ He leaned forward and opened his inbox with a rush of excitement. It was not from Mokuba, but an anonymous sender. He opened it up anyways and read that it contained a hello and some ramblings about the kind of person this sender was. It also had instructions on where and when to meet the sender, who expressed high interests in meeting him.

Seto was slightly perplexed. He stared at the message for a minute. His first reaction was that it must have been sent to him by accident. However, it contained instructions to meet this person and that led Seto to believe that this person might have information on where Mokuba was located. _It could even be Mokuba_, Seto thought, _trying to surprise me!_ Dinner at a family restaurant that Seto had never set foot in before… It served middle-class people, and the invitation was on such short notice; but Seto felt that this further proved that it must be Mokuba. _Only he would do such an immature thing._

It was with relief and happiness that Seto waited patiently throughout the rest of the day, looking forward to dinner. He actually got off work early! He did not bother to change out of his suit. He took with him his usual suitcase that housed his duel disk and cornucopia of Duel Monsters cards. Once at the restaurant, he walked straight up to the hostess and asked if anyone was waiting for him.

"Oh, yes!" she said, smiling. "You must be the blind date! Right this way…" She grabbed a menu, and walked off without so much as a backwards glance. Seto was confused. _Blind date? The hostess must be Western._

Nevertheless, Seto followed her, and she led him to a private booth with one occupant: some strange woman Seto had never met before. It certainly was not Mokuba. Seto gave a brief bow and sat down across from her. The hostess handed him his menu. A waitress came over to them as the hostess left, "Would you like something to drink while you decide upon your order? We have a special on the house wine - a light bodied pinot with a touch of cranberry and plum."

"That will be fine," Seto replied authoritatively. He was not a wine connoisseur since he only drank alcohol socially, but that did not stop him from taking charge of the situation. He was uneasy, but did not show it. The waitress departed and Seto looked from his menu to his date. Her eyes were still widened with shock, cheeks appled, and she was wearing a huge gleaming smile.

"You're Seto Kaiba…" she breathed. She sounded surprised.

"Naturally," Seto replied, feeling wrong-footed. "Didn't you email me asking me to meet you here? Who are you?"

"I'm your blind date," she said happily. "I didn't know it was you I have been instant messaging all this time."

"We've been instant messaging each other?" Seto was completely lost now. He put his menu down and studied her carefully for signs of insanity. He was positive his own memory was as sharp as a tack, and he had no recollections of missing time periods.

"Yes," she replied, a little thrown off by his comment. "I thought you were charmingly funny and sweet."

"Funny and sweet?" _Me? _This was definitely a mistake! "I'm sorry, but I do not recall instant messaging anyone within the last week. How long ago was this?"

Now she was taken aback. She tilted her head in disbelief and answered, "Since last Saturday… You don't remember at all? Then… why are you here?"

"You emailed me. You should tell me why I am here," Seto said, irritated. He picked his menu back up and perused over the selection. The waitress returned just as he decided upon the most expensive dish on the menu. Seto and his date gave the waitress their orders. After she wrote them down, she gave the woman a wink and smile for luck before leaving again.

This behavior irritated Seto even further. "I never asked to be set up on a blind date," he said as calmly as he could. He looked his companion straight in the eyes, "I have no idea who you are."

She blinked a couple times in amazement. The countenance she wore vividly portrayed her belief that he was crazy. "Ano, then why don't you leave?" Seto began to stand up. "It's so nice of you to play me like this when I haven't had a date since my son died." Her eyes brimmed with restrained tears. "You sounded so compassionate when I told you the whole story." Seto stopped in mid-stance and sat back down immediately. She hadn't realized it, but she found his weak spot - children.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea," Seto apologized with utmost sincerity. Now she was starting to believe that maybe he was telling the truth. It was the first time since he arrived that his features were not like stone. His eyes showed the very compassion she had inferred from her correspondence. His voice was filled with sympathy. "I'm looking for my brother, Mokuba," Seto informed her. "He ran away from home last Thursday. I don't know what I'll do if I lose him…"

"You really haven't been corresponding with me?" she asked hesitantly.

"No," Seto said. "The invitation to this date is the first one I've received from you."

"Then whoever I was talking to must have been setting you up," she said thoughtfully.

"Why don't you give me the email address you were sending your stuff to before; I'll put a stop to this pervert. I don't think anyone should toy with you like that." Seto said seriously.

She dug a piece of paper out of her purse. "Here," she said, handing it to him. "It's an anonymous account with the dating service. After several long conversations, he - or she - gave me your email address. Told me to email you privately if I was interested in a date."

"Dating service…? I definitely did not sign up for this! I'll give them a call and tell them to cancel it." Seto gave her the first smile of the night.

The rest of the evening went well. They were both polite to each other and sympathetic of each other's situation. At the end, Seto even drove her home and walked her to her door. He wished her luck in finding that special someone who would treat her right and understand her needs. He also apologized that he was too busy to pursue any sort of relationship at the present time - even a casual one. She sighed, and said she understood. She wished him luck in finding Mokuba and said that she would say a few prayers for him at the temple she attended. They both thanked each other for a good evening, and Seto went home.

The first thing he did was to look up the phone number of the dating service in the Domino City phone book. He could not find it. So, he went on the internet to visit the homepage. He discovered that their business was located in Osaka. He tried logging onto his account, using the screen-name in the email address, but quickly discovered that even though it was valid, he needed a password. He tried everything he could think of, but nothing worked. He settled on using his business email account to send a message to the contact address posted on the site. Then, he called the phone number that was listed there as well, and left a message.

Seto went to bed wanting to tear apart his innocent pillow out of sheer frustration. The worst part of last Thursday replayed in his mind again. They were in his office; he was working and Mokuba was standing beside him - pestering him.

_Mokuba was not deterred by Seto's apparent lack of interest, "What will you do when I move away?"_

_"What does this have to do with me being nicer?" Seto diverted._ …_feeling threatened every time Mokuba approached him…_

_Why? Am I afraid of loneliness?_ It took a long time for Seto to fall asleep. He never answered his own question - neither denying nor acknowledging the answer.


	5. Amelda's Mystery Job

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: Guess what? (You ask, "What?" as if you didn't already know.) I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

_From the Author_: I know I've been posting one chapter at a time so far, but I decided to try something different. I don't think I'll do the "one at a time" thing from now on for this story. "Mokuba's Plan" is all complete, and I thought readers would find it more enjoyable to have several chapters posted together in an update.

Chapter 5

It was now 10:14 on a beautiful Monday morning. Mokuba was a little nervous. He was also very hungry. He had no choice. Poke.

Nothing. Amelda was usually a light sleeper. However, he warned Mokuba that on Mondays - he was _very_ different. Do not approach. Do not wake up. He had been out all night on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Whenever Mokuba asked where Amelda was going when he left, he would only reply, "Work." When Mokuba woke up, he found Amelda next to him, not stirring a muscle. Poke.

Normally Amelda woke up with the slightest movement of the bed. Mokuba had gotten up, dressed, and expectantly waited for his new onii-chan to wake and fix him something to eat. After the fiasco on Saturday morning when Mokuba had attempted to make breakfast for the both of them, Mokuba was no longer allowed to cook anything in the kitchen. He was permitted to fix himself sandwiches - but that was it. Amelda woke up to find eggs on the floor, flour everywhere, bacon burnt to the point of sacrilege, and what was supposed to be a pancake on the ceiling. "But you're supposed to flip them!" Mokuba had defended. Banned.

Amelda had strict kitchen rules. It was the only part of the apartment that was organized. People learned quickly to obey the rules; otherwise, they were forbidden to eat any of the food that Amelda cooked. If you ever had Amelda's cooking, you would understand why everyone _worshipped_ the Kitchen Rules. Poke.

"_Pet više minuta, ugoditi_," Amelda murmured into his pillow.

_What? _Mokuba thought. He could not tell if it was gibberish or an actual language. Since Amelda slept on his stomach, face buried, Mokuba couldn't tell whether or not he was awake. It was a lot harder to wake Seto, but at least he slept on his back.

"Onii-chan," Mokuba called. "I'm hungry. Can you make me something to eat, please?"

"_Šta_?" A bleary grey eye peaked above the threshold of the pillow. "Make it yourself," he grumbled. "I told you to leave me alone on Mondays."

"But you banned me from cooking anything in the kitchen!" Mokuba pleaded. He really would not mind the ban being lifted, but with the ban the quality of the food was vastly superior. So, he preferred Amelda to cook. "What are these for?" Mokuba asked, trying to stimulate a conversation.

Half his face was still out of sight in the fluffy pillow. Amelda turned onto his side and gave the glittery stilettos Mokuba was holding a half-conscious acknowledgement. "Work," he said simply.

"Work?" Mokuba asked, aghast. "What are you? A _hooker_…?"

"The position for Batman was filled," (1) Amelda remarked sleepily, closing his eyes. Mokuba now knew fully well that a sarcastic answer always meant _no_. He sighed. Poke. "Aaagh… I'm already awake! What do you want?"

"Breakfast! You pinky promised me that you wouldn't let me starve!"

"I told you… oh, fine!" Amelda threw off the covers and rose. Not bothering to put on slippers or a bathrobe or changing out of his pajamas, he went to the kitchen and started making French toast. While he was cooking, Mokuba stood at the edge of the linoleum floor that marked the supposed "boundary" of the kitchen. He wondered briefly what his nii-sama would think of someone walking around without a bathrobe; his brother always covered himself up.

"So… if you weren't working the corners why do you work on weekend nights in high-heels?"

"Who said I wore them?"

"Who said you didn't?" Mokuba countered. "What are you doing to that toast?" He suddenly noticed that Amelda was stuffing white creamy something inside the thick slice.

"Cream cheese," Amelda answered calmly, "and marmalade," as he added yellowish goo with flecks of orange, "I take it you've never had _real_ French toast."

"If I could, I would try and convince Nii-sama to hire you as our chef, Onii-chan," Mokuba said, snickering. "What about the high-heels?" He was dying of curiosity.

"First of all," Amelda said, resigned to a full explanation, "I'm not a hooker. If I was, even your nii-sama couldn't afford me!" Amelda's cheshire-cat smile approved of the raucous laughter that followed this remark. "Second, I do _not_ wear women's clothes, nor do I strip. The heels are a part of a _costume_. I do free-style dance at a theater that features _bishonen_. (7) It's supposed to be sophisticated, artistic erotica."

"Is it really _sophisticated_?" Mokuba asked, skeptically. He watched as Amelda put some spices into the egg mixture.

"Yes," Amelda responded. "I own the business."

"Really?" Now Mokuba was impressed, "If you own it, why do _you_ dance?"

"I started off short on staff. However, when Bishonen-ai - that's the name of the place - became popular, so did I. My dancers aren't as good as me. I'm a favorite among fans. Sometimes I'm recognized on the streets in Osaka. Also, I'm directly in charge of synchronizing all the special lighting effects with the music; that's what the computer over there is for," he said, pointing it out amongst the clutter on the desk. "But the only people who know that are my employees."

"Your business must not make that much money if you live in a place like this," Mokuba tactlessly remarked.

The savvy redhead was not perturbed, "Actually, we're doing _very_ well. I happen to be a frugal spender and a chary saver. I'm saving up for a house; I intend to pay in full. I don't like being in debt of any kind."

"My goal in starting Bishonen-ai," Amelda paused while transferring the toast from the frying pan onto plates, "was to remove the cheap aesthetics of male sexuality from sawdust porn and the oily glitz of Chip'N Dales (9) to the refined aesthetics of theatrical art. I want people to see the _beauty_ in male sexuality… like the Statue of David… art…" Amelda was at a loss for a better explanation, but judging by the expression of revelation upon Mokuba's face, he thought he got his point across. "The ironic thing is I absolutely hate ties, but you need one just to get into the door of Bishonen-ai! My audience is half women, half men. Naturally homosexuals and bi's are in attendance. For the heterosexual men who patronize my art, it's a perversion from their mundane reality. You see, my entire audience is made up of those who share Kaiba's stature of wealth and power, willing to burn money on the latest vice."

They sat down around the tiny table. "_Oiishii_!" (7) Mokuba moaned upon the first bite. He _loved_ Amelda's cooking. It was not just the best, but there was always something different about it that made it an experience. Amelda never revealed any of his secrets, and no matter how closely Mokuba watched, he never learnt them. They ate in silence for a little bit. Amelda noticed that Mokuba's interest in the food was waning. He was about to ask what was wrong when Mokuba suddenly spoke.

"I don't think Nii-sama would ever go for a thing like that," Mokuba remarked, his dark velvet eyes saddening.

"Ano, Kaiba can only say that because he's never had my cooking," Amelda said confidently. He was confused by Mokuba's sudden fit of the blues.

"No, I was talking about your business - Bishonen-ai."

"Why? Is he homophobic?" Amelda asked between mouthfuls. He was a fast eater, but he tried to pace himself with his company so as not to be rude.

"No," Mokuba sighed. "I don't think that's it." He savored each bite, taking forever. "He thinks anything that has to do with sexuality is trivial. Or rather, anything that doesn't have to do with Kaiba Corp is extraneous. He considers all such things a distraction from work. Why do you call your art a vice?"

"I don't call it that. I just don't think that the majority of the audience sees it the way I do. To them it is artistic and sophisticated, yes, but they can't move past the erotic connotations. They're simple minded. As long as I reach a few, I know I've done some good in this world."

"And as long as it's profitable," Mokuba snorted, unable to stop himself. Amelda was glad to see the smile return.

"I'm only human. I do enjoy physical comforts," Amelda admitted with a sly smile. "But I also know what it's like to be without them. I am not motivated by greed. You will find that I have my limits to extravagance. I find material things trivial, unlike your brother, who lives by them. And also in contrast, I believe that it is the trivial things that makes mortal life more enjoyable. Didn't you say that what Kaiba deems trivial is a waste? Therein lies the difference between us. I'm a very philosophical person, who embraces the supernatural. To Kaiba - it is nonsense."

"Yeah," Mokuba agreed. "Whenever it comes to anything abstract like destiny, love, or past lives - Nii-sama goes into instant denial. He has issues. But… there is something that he did say recently that surprised me."

"What was that?" Amelda pried.

"He said that it was fate that he should be the only one with the Blue Eyes White Dragon," Mokuba stated. He cleaned his plate and wiped his mouth with his napkin.

Amelda snorted, "He has an _unusual_ attachment to that dragon. And you were making fun of me about fetishes…"

"Oh, it gets funnier," Mokuba goaded. "He told me about what happened in Egypt. I was only there after he got out of the memory world."

"Memory world?" Amelda asked, puzzled.

"Long story… This was after KC Grand Prix. At first he told me just the facts. Later he said it was all nonsense. But last week or so… he actually said that it was because of what had happened in his _past life _that he was fated to wield and cherish Blue Eyes!"

"Did you say 'past life'?" Amelda asked, incredulous. "Did you say 'fated'?"

"Yes! He said that! Can you believe it?"

Amelda pondered this. To him, it sounded like Kaiba was willing to suspend belief just so he could justify his obsession. Amelda remembered Dartz' explanation of the Nameless Pharaoh and something about the past life of Seto Kaiba, but at the time he had glossed over this information. "What happened in his past life?"

"There was a woman!" Mokuba said in hushed excitement. "This is what got me to thinking about my plan to help Nii-sama!"

"Woman?" Amelda prompted for more information in this vein. Deep down, though he would never tell Mokuba, this bit of information disappointed him.

"Yeah," Mokuba smirked. "He was supposed to be an official in the Pharaoh's court. A priest or something… I don't remember - it's been several years and Nii-sama was brief with the details. But his past self was in _love_!" Mokuba paused for dramatic effect. His smile wavered slightly at the return of Amelda's stony veneer. Mokuba pressed on, "She was a village girl, who's spirit was that of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. She sacrificed herself to save him!" Mokuba was disappointed at the reception. He remembered being riveted when Seto gave him a five minute version of events. Mokuba had spent the next three weeks hounding him for details. _Why does this bother Onii-chan? _Mokuba wondered, _I thought he'd find it funny that Nii-sama's accepted something he'd normally call nonsense._

"What were you doing the other day on my computer?" Amelda asked, changing the subject.

"I signed Nii-sama up for a dating service!" Mokuba announced proudly. "It's Plan C. I can't just depend on my absence during this month. I've got to make good use of this time here. I've already set him up on a date!"

A gleeful smile returned to Amelda's face. He was just imagining the headache and frustration this would cause the CEO. In the midst of a search for his runaway brother, he gets set up on a blind date! _Serves him right_, Amelda thought. _Maybe there's something to be said for Mokuba's plan after all._

* * *

A/N: The idea for Bishonen-ai was inspired by a piece of fanart done by **ctg21361**. Thank you for your wonderful art! 


	6. Seto's First Lesson

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Greetings, extra-terrestrial! (Live long and prosper!) I should inform you and my fellow Earthlings that I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: This chapter contains the first part of major character development. In the summary of this story, "character development" is written in all capital letters. Character development is the main focus of this story, so be prepared for more in later chapters.

Chapter 6

Summer sunshine was not enough to evaporate the worries that one man carried. The young man stood outside the tall building of glass and steel. He had seen it before, and his beautiful brown eyes traced over the familiar lettering above the entrance: _Kaiba Company, Inc. _"He is not going to like this…" the man whispered to himself. "There should be a limit to Kaiba's anger."

He walked into the polished lobby, past the receptionist, and straight to the elevators. He did not know for sure on which floor Kaiba's office was, but he knew Kaiba. He pushed the button for the top floor. While a continuous crowd boarded and offloaded on his flight up to the top floor, a few people gave him curious glances, but most ignored him as they went about their daily work life. He looked quite out of place in khaki cargo pants and a plain black T-shirt. He sported a backpack on one shoulder emblazoned with the logo of a local city college. _Ding! _the elevator bell announced upon destination.

He got off the now empty elevator, and walked up to Kaiba's secretary. He could not help noticing that she was extremely attractive, and he took this as evidence of Kaiba's arrogance. She checked him out, her eyes revealing her opinion of him. _With a body like that_, she thought, _who needs a tie? _"Hello," she smiled. "How can I help you today?"

"I'm looking for Kaiba," the man answered. She loved how confident he sounded, as if it were completely normal for someone to walk in off the street to visit the CEO.

"What's your name?" she asked, checking her appointment roster.

"Katsuya Jonouchi."

"You're not on here," she replied. "But I think it'll be alright if you just go ahead on in…" She gave him a wink. "He's not busy." She pressed the button in her desk to unlock the sliding security door.

Jonouchi thanked her and proceeded through. It led to a hallway with two doors on either side. One side was an elite conference room, the other was the CEO's office. Jonouchi chose the latter. As he walked in, he found Kaiba by himself, yelling into the phone receiver in his hands.

"Password?" Seto bellowed. "I already told you that I don't know it! I did not sign up for this asinine account with you idiots! I repeat: I did not sign up! Since I did not sign up, how can I know the password? How can I cancel if I don't know the password?" He paused, taking no notice of Jonouchi and listening intently to the answer on the other end. "Yes, I am Seto Kaiba," he answered. "Yes, that is my address."

_They're questioning his identity?_ Jonouchi wondered. _Do they know what they're doing? _

"Yes, that is my phone number. Listen - I've told you this information already. Just cancel the account! I did not sign up for it. I've answered every one of your identity questions. Just cancel it! You are involving innocent women in this scandal!" Seto said heatedly.

_Innocent women? _Jonouchi queried, "Kaiba, what _have _you been up to?" Seto looked up and saw Jonouchi. His expression immediately neutralized. He was silent, still listening to the person on the other end of the line.

"Morons!" Seto screamed suddenly. "I don't have the password!" He slammed the phone down. "What do you want?" he angrily blew at Jonouchi.

"I came to talk to you, Kaiba," Jonouchi answered calmly, "and to set a few things straight." He waited for Seto's reaction to make sure he was listening.

Seto smirked. "I don't have time for you, I've got bigger fish to fry." He turned off his computer and grabbed his briefcase. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out," he said as he passed Jonouchi, leaving him alone.

"You can't get away from me that easily!" Jonouchi proclaimed. He followed Seto out the door and onto the elevator just before it closed. Seto wore the tiniest of smiles. He said nothing as his cold eyes followed Jonouchi, observing him. Jonouchi had a brief image of himself facing a giant scorpion with black armor and an impenetrable cold disposition. Not to mention the stinger…

Jonouchi opened his mouth to say something, but was caught by surprise. The elevator stopped suddenly. A horrible screeching jolt was followed by a pungent burning smell of rubber. "What did you do?" Jonouchi asked, incredulous.

"Idiot!" Seto retaliated. "I didn't do anything."

The lights suddenly went out at that moment, plunging the two men into pitch black darkness. Neither said anything. Each could hear the other breathing, but no other noise was audible. Jonouchi felt that this had to be a nightmare. It was creepy enough to know that the scorpion was somewhere within this blackness with him, and he could not see him. "Are you still there, Kaiba?" Jonouchi asked after a couple minutes.

"Yes, you idiot," Seto replied scathingly. "Is your brain still there?"

Jonouchi let out a low moan of disappointment. "This can't be happening…" he squirmed. "Why do bad things always happen to me? If I should be stuck in an elevator with someone it should be my girlfriend - not you!"

"Who's your girlfriend?" Seto asked.

"Don't pretend you care," Jonouchi replied hotly. "I can't stand phoniness. Take your nose out of my business and put it back in your naval where it usually goes."

"I am not phony!" Seto lashed out. "Call it temporary insanity - I was just curious!"

"Crystal," Jonouchi replied.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Seto fumed.

"That's her name - Crystal." Jonouchi said calmly. He waited for Seto's response, but it never came. "You don't think there's a fire, do you?" Jonouchi asked, trying to assess the situation.

"No," Seto's voice was a little softer. He was trying to analyze the situation as well. "Then the fire alarm would sound."

"Isn't there an emergency phone in here?" Jonouchi asked. He started feeling the walls of the elevator. Nothing but smoothness… He moved onto the next wall. A creepy tingle cascaded down Jonouchi's spine as he felt hands rub over his own. "Is that you, Kaiba? Please tell me that it's just us in here…"

"Don't panic," Seto replied. The enmity was gone from his voice, "It's just me. I'm trying to find that phone. You're in the way."

"I'm trying to help!" Jonouchi said defensively. "It creeps me out that I can't see you."

"What are you afraid of?" Seto asked, curiously. He was not being mean. In fact, he sounded concerned. "What do you think I'll do to you?"

"We could be in here a long time," Jonouchi explained. "I don't know what will go through your mind then."

"Don't be a pervert!" Seto hissed angrily, "I'm not gay!"

"You're the pervert!" Jonouchi ejaculated. "I was thinking something totally different - like that you might want to kill me!" He could hear Seto exhale, as if letting some worry go.

"Don't flatter yourself, borborygmic small fry," Seto said, finally. "You are as valuable as bort. You wouldn't be worth it."

Anger! Jonouchi's blood boiled and he swung a fist. Contact! He heard Seto slamming into either the wall or the floor - he could not tell which. "You wouldn't be able to kill me even if you wanted!" he shouted furiously at Seto. Jonouchi did not doubt his fighting skills, but he had never fought anyone in a pitch black elevator before. He strained his ears for sounds of movement.

There was a slight scraping sound as Seto got to his feet. Nothing was said, and the only sound again was the sound of breathing. Jonouchi could not tell where it was coming from. The otherwise silence spiraled horribly. Nothing. Minutes trickled away like sand in an hourglass. Jonouchi did not dare move. He braced himself for Seto to make his move, but it never came.

_How much time has passed? _Jonouchi's mind reeled. _What's he waiting for?_ "Are you still there, Kaiba?" Jonouchi broke the silence. Nothing. "Kaiba?" Silence. "Kaiba… this isn't funny…" his voice was starting to shake. He stretched his arms out, groping like a blind man. Nothing. "Kaiba?" Jonouchi's voice went up an octave. "I always thought it was beneath you to use psychological tricks on people! You haven't pulled this stunt since Death T!" He groped forward some more and finally found a warm body.

"Don't _ever_ hit me again…" an icy whisper filled with malice spoke in Jonouchi's ear. "You are absolutely right, small fry. I don't like to resort to these measures, but you left me no choice. I think it's time we cooperate if we both want to get out of here."

"I'm sorry, Kaiba," Jonouchi appeased to the scorpion, "for hitting you." He was regaining his confidence. "Don't look down on me. I know my own worth, and when you insult me like that, I get angry. So, you're to blame, too." Jonouchi took advantage of Seto's stunned silence and continued, "You know you own worth, don't you Kaiba? You would get just as angry as me if someone were to call you a small fry or an underdog all the time. You should understand that much at least."

"How dare you compare yourself to me?" Seto replied coldly.

"I dare because I know my own worth! You have even witnessed it when you watched me endure Marik's torture. Have you ever endured the wrath of Ra?" Jonouchi asked rhetorically. "I almost won that one! Can you say that you would have?"

Seto was silent. He remembered the final duels at Alcatraz with vivid details. Comprehension of the full meaning behind what Jonouchi was saying sunk in painfully. Jonouchi's hands were still on him - for his peace of mind of knowing exactly where Seto was. Seto reached for Jonouchi's shoulders and held him at arms length. "Perhaps you have a point there," Seto acknowledged. It was the closest Seto could get to an apology, and Jonouchi understood this.

Jonouchi cleverly used the same tactic, "Perhaps you won't look down on me anymore."

"Perhaps you won't hit me again."

"Perhaps we can get out of here." And they both found the phone in a matter of seconds after that. Seto made the call and the security answered, who told them that help was on the way. "So, I guess we wait then," Jonouchi sighed. "How long do you think it will take?"

"I can't even tell how long it's been," Seto admitted. They sat down in silence in the dark. After for what seemed like an hour, Seto broke the silence, "What did you come to see me about in the first place?"

"Oh, that…" Jonouchi paused, evidently thinking of how best to word it. "I don't like the way you treated Yugi. He came to offer you help and to show you his concern, not only for your sake but for Mokuba's as well. You should know that we all care about Mokuba."

Seto was quiet for a second. Then, through the darkness, came a quiet voice of someone who finally let his wall come down, "What could Yugi have done, really? Don't you think I want Mokuba back? If I honestly thought that Yugi could help me I would have shelved my pride and accepted it. My love for Mokuba is stronger than my rivalry with Yugi."

"I don't know what Yugi or I can do," Jonouchi confessed. "But I know that we would do anything within our power. So far, I have not found a limit to what the power of friendship can accomplish."

"Not another friendship speech…" Seto groaned.

"Don't knock the evidence," Jonouchi returned. "We've accomplished a lot together, right? Besides Kaiba, what have you to lose by trying?" Seto did not answer. "Why did Mokuba run away?" Jonouchi finally asked.

Seto did not respond right away. "To teach me a lesson…" he replied at last.

"Really?" Jonouchi had to stop himself from laughing. "What have you learned?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't sound good. What lesson is he trying to teach you?"

"He's thirteen… he's got crazy ideas. He told me I need to…" Seto stopped. He couldn't see Jonouchi, but he knew exactly what his expression would be if Seto told him the truth. Seto had to think for a minute whether or not he could trust Jonouchi, and he decided to try it out this way. "Can I trust you?" Seto asked. He knew Jonouchi had strong feelings when it came to loyalty.

"Yes," came the expected response.

"Don't tell anyone this…" Seto began.

"I'll tell Yugi, but that's it," Jonouchi said honestly. "Other than that - you can count on me."

Seto thought about it. He was trying to see what he could gain by letting them know. The only thing he could think of was that they would understand that he was not a bad older brother, which he assumed that they assumed - and that bothered him. So, he took a deep breath, "He's mad at me because I have never been on a date."

"What kind of reason is that?" Jonouchi asked, incredulous. This pleased Seto that Jonouchi agreed with him!

"Exactly!" Seto agreed. "He wrote me this note saying that he was running away for the summer holiday and that I should seriously consider his advice."

"He's only going to be gone for one month?"

"Yes, but he shouldn't be gone at all! It's not up to him where he lives and my… my… my sex life is none of his business! He could get himself into trouble! I worry constantly…"

"I don't blame you! He's too young to be on his own! However, I do find it encouraging that it's only one month. I was under the impression he left permanently. What was his advice?"

Seto hesitated. "He told me that I should get laid," he admitted. Just as he had expected, Jonouchi laughed his head off. Seto waited for the laughter to subside. "I don't see how that would do me or Kaiba Corp any good."

"In-of-itself it won't, because without love it's just a temporary fix," Jonouchi sagely replied. Seto was startled by this answer.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that it's more than sex that Mokuba wants for you," Jonouchi explained. "He wants you to fall in love. Who knows? Perhaps if you had someone to love, you would be more considerate."

Seto was shocked beyond belief, and it showed in his voice, "Mokuba said almost the same exact thing!"

"Ano," Jonouchi gave a manly chuckle, "perhaps he has a point there." Jonouchi paused to let the words sink in. "You need to learn not to be so controlling. _That_ is why you hate anything supernatural! It isn't the fact that it _is_ supernatural; it's the fact that you can't _control_ it! You hate everything that is beyond your control. If you continue like that, Kaiba," Jonouchi paused to make sure Seto was listening, "you will _never_ have love."

"That's not true," Seto replied, uncertain. "I love Mokuba. I don't try to control him-"

"Yes you do," Jonouchi interrupted. "He does whatever you tell him to do. He follows you around everywhere, and he always cheers for you! Now that he's gotten older, he's starting to think for himself. Doesn't that annoy you?"

"Yes, he-"

"If you love your brother," Jonouchi cut him off quickly, "it shouldn't annoy you that he's starting to think for himself, it should make you proud. When you love someone, you should let them grow and unfold for their own sake, not for the purpose of serving you. If you pull a plant up by the stalk, trying to force it to grow, you'll only end up tearing it apart."

Seto gave a deep sigh. "You're right, Jonouchi," he said quietly. He understood perfectly what Jonouchi was telling him. "That's what Gozoboro tried with me. I try not to be like that with Mokuba. I only want what's best for him." His voice was steady, but he was aching inside. "I only made him learn some of the things Gozoboro forced upon me, only so that he could be prepared to take over Kaiba Corp should anything happen to me. But he is free to choose whatever occupation he wants when he grows up. He knows this. I'm not Gozoboro. He knows that I only want him to be happy. It has nothing to do with control. I'll be there for him if he ever needs anything."

Jonouchi was stunned by the revelation that Kaiba was confiding in him! _It must be the darkness_, Jonouchi thought. _It can do things like that_. "Then why can't you be the way you are with Mokuba with everyone else… or at least one other person? Why can't you accept other people or things that you can't control?" Jonouchi asked. "Mokuba can't fulfill all areas of your heart, you know. He can't be your lover, for instance. I think Mokuba realizes this, and that's why he ran away. He's doing it for you, Kaiba - for _your_ sake!"

It was taking everything in Seto to keep himself from crying. Even though it was pitch black, he could not let himself be so weak. "Okay…" Seto said slowly, his voice shaking subtly. "I've learned my lesson. Can you bring Mokuba back, please?"

"I don't have him," Jonouchi said sympathetically. "I thought you knew that."

"I just want him back," Seto said softly. They both fell silent. They could hear voices through the walls now that they were not talking. It sounded as if they were arguing. Then…

"Seto-sama!" Isono's voice penetrated. "We're using a torch to get you out! Stand back!" Jonouchi got up and went to the far side, where Seto already was. There was a lot of commotion. And after 15 more minutes, a hole was made large enough for them to get out.

Once they were out in the bright light, they acted like typical men. They used grunts to convey their feelings and shook hands. Jonouchi wished Seto luck in finding Mokuba. Seto grunted thanks. Jonouchi left in a hurry, saying he was late for class. Seto watched him readjust the backpack on his shoulder as he was leaving, and felt an oddly warm sense of enlightenment about the whole experience.


	7. Trouble

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH - but I wish I did. (winks) How about that, Your Honor?

A/N: Has anyone noticed that each disclaimer is different for every chapter?

Chapter 7

"I think I'll grow a mustache," Mokuba announced out of the blue. He was standing on a stool just to appraise himself in Amelda's bathroom mirror.

"You go ahead and do that," Amelda teased. "Let me know how that works out for you." Mokuba ignored him. He continued to examine his reflection. "If you don't mind, kiddo, I need to use the bathroom. Go outside and watch the grass grow." Mokuba scowled at him, stepped off the stool, and exited.

Living in such confined quarters with another person has a tendency to help one become knowledgeable about who the other person really is. Mokuba was getting accustomed to Amelda's dynamic personality. Amelda had started calling Mokuba _kiddo_, which Mokuba understood to be an English version of _chan_. Invariably, it was the little things that began to blossom and paint the picture of a thousand words. Onii-chan had idiosyncrasies and pet peeves galore.

Yesterday, he had brought home a whole pineapple along with the groceries he purchased. Mokuba had grabbed a large knife to cut it open, but Amelda scolded him. Onii-chan said pineapples were to be looked at - not eaten. This made absolutely no sense whatsoever to Mokuba, who called Amelda _crazy_.

"Why don't you buy a fake one?" Mokuba had asked. "It will last longer."

"They don't look real enough," Amelda had replied.

"Onii-chan," Mokuba had tried to reason, "why not eat it after you've had it for a while?"

"Because I hate pineapple."

_Crazy_. Sometimes, Mokuba felt like he was Alice in Wonderland. (1) Amelda did not keep a schedule during the week. He exercised whenever he felt like it. Whether it was stretches, aerobics, pilates, (15) or new dance routines for Bishonen-ai, Amelda always had the music on loud when he exercised. Mokuba got to hear music he had never heard before. He had previously only been exposed to whatever the latest trend was through his friends, and the background music that Seto occasionally listened to.

Amelda did the household chores whenever he felt like it. He worked on lighting effects with his computer for work whenever he felt like it. The phone rang throughout the day, but Amelda never had long conversations. Those who knew the redhead knew never to call on Mondays. Now that Mokuba had been through his second Monday, he found the quiet disturbing.

Amelda did get a phone call from Varon once last week. He had talked for over an hour, conversing in English. Mokuba strained to remember every English word he could so he could try to eavesdrop. He could not tell much about what had been said, but he presumed Varon must have been telling funny stories, because Onii-chan had laughed a lot.

Mokuba was not allowed to answer the phone.

During the week, the redhead was a day person. Amelda left the apartment at least once a day, but the times and durations of absences were random. Onii-chan would always come home in enough time to cook delicious meals for Mokuba. He went to work often. Bishonen-ai was closed to the public during non-business hours, but open to employees. It housed an exclusive gym, two pools - one for recreation and one for lap swimming, a rec-room, tennis courts, and a spa. These were for the employees' use only - the public did not even know about it. _They have it good_, Mokuba had thought when he found out. _It's like a resort_. Amelda went not only to use the facilities, but to critique his employees' new dance routines and practice his own. The limited floor-space of his flat was no substitute for the stage.

The hours Onii-chan was gone did not bother Mokuba. He worked on his homework, which he found easier to do without the blaring music. Otherwise, he would explore. Amelda had an abundance of stuff - all crammed into a confined space. Mokuba had found a box of condoms along with some other goodies the same day he learned about Bishonen-ai. Two days later, he had found photo-albums of Amelda's relatives. Some pictures included young Amelda before the war, and older Amelda when he went back home after Dartz was destroyed. There was even a picture of him sitting next to a gravestone with his name on it.

When Onii-chan returned home that day, Mokuba immediately prompted for an explanation. Amelda told him that he looked up relatives when he went back home. They all thought he was dead, and held a funeral for him. They held a week long party when they found out he was alive! Amelda said he was not all that close to his relatives, and the reason for their exuberance might have been due to his mother's cousin's love for parties. He was only close to his maternal grandmother, whom he called Nana. She used to live with him and his parents, but they were separated in the war. She searched for him during the war, but when she found what was left of Miruko's remains, she assumed Amelda had died, too. It was through Nana that Amelda was able to obtain photographs of his family.

Mokuba learned a lot from that day. He found out about Amelda's family history - which was interesting in-of-itself, what Amelda was like as a child, what Miruko looked like, and why the redhead's hair was cut in such a particular way.

Over time, Mokuba learned many other intimate things about Onii-chan. He learned the secret to why Amelda always covered his forearms. _Although, this should have been obvious_, Mokuba had thought upon enlightenment. He learned why Amelda moved to Japan, where he got his Kitchen Rules from, how he started establishing his set of principles, and when he lost his virginity. Mokuba even learned the stories behind the Care Bears (1) and the knife in the wall.

Amelda had taken the punctured picture of the ex-boyfriend off the dartboard, saying that it should have been done months ago since he had been over him for some time. Mokuba knew that story. He still did not really understand the chili-lights. All Onii-chan had said was that it was a souvenir of one wild night in Panama. Enough said.

Amelda emerged from the bathroom. Apparently he had taken a shower _…in the middle of the day_, Mokuba thought. _There is no rhyme or reason_. He was dripping wet, and all he wore was a towel.

"Is the word _modesty_ even in your vocabulary?" Mokuba asked.

_

* * *

_

Amelda returned home after lap swimming at Bishonen-ai to find Mokuba sitting on the couch, waiting for him. Amelda immediately sensed something was up - the peculiar smell in the air and Mokuba's face said it all. The redhead said nothing at first as he looked at Mokuba, whose face was exactly the same as it had been the night Amelda picked him up at Domino City Police Station. "What did you do?" Amelda asked.

"I'm sorry!" Mokuba cried. "I didn't mean for it to go so far…"

"What did you do?" Amelda asked, more sternly still.

"I tried an experiment…" Mokuba said slowly. He stopped there to observe Onii-chan's reaction. His face did not look angry, yet.

"An experiment with what?" Amelda asked patiently. It was like pulling teeth out of a crocodile.

"The oven."

"What?" Amelda exploded. He was immediately furious. "Did you break the ban on cooking?"

"Ano, you said I couldn't cook _food_," Mokuba stated. "You didn't say anything about anything else…"

"Huh?" Amelda's flash anger subsided a little. Perplexed, but still aggravated, he asked, "What did you do to my oven?" Instead of waiting for an answer, he went to investigate himself. It looked fine on the outside. He did not see any smoke. Mokuba followed him into the kitchen. Amelda turned and looked at him. "Well?"

"Look inside," Mokuba said quietly. Amelda opened the oven door and gasped.

"What the hell did you put in here?" Amelda asked, incredulous.

"Different things lying around the house…"

"_Why?_ What gave you that fuzz-brained idea in the first place? What _things_?" Amelda interrogated. He was still in too much shock to be angry. Guilt was etched all over Mokuba's countenance. He bowed his head in shame. Amelda waited patiently for him to answer.

"I didn't use anything valuable. I tried different things made out of different materials. I wanted to see what would melt and what it would look like melted. I'm sorry, Onii-chan." Mokuba apologized sincerely.

"Didn't use anything valuable?" Amelda repeated. "Wanted to see what things looked like melted? I hope you used your things, not mine! How can you determine what is valuable? How do you know that what you used didn't have any sentimental value? You don't know everything about me!" Amelda's silvery eyes glinted like a knife. Mokuba looked away, avoiding his gaze. "You _did _use my stuff…" Amelda breathed, confirming the worst. He was furious. He was fuming like a smokestack. "Do you realize that this junk got into the burners? It's _ruined_!" he cried. "That's it - you are going to pay for this!"

Terror! Mokuba tried to escape, but Amelda was faster. The angry redhead grabbed the culprit by the ear and half-dragged him to the bathroom. "What are you going to do?" Mokuba squealed. Amelda said nothing as he stood Mokuba up on the stool. Onii-chan opened up a drawer next to him and reached in. For one thrilling moment Mokuba feared it would be a knife, but it was a hairbrush! Mokuba's fears evaporated as Amelda began to brush Mokuba's long black tresses. _It feels good_, Mokuba thought. _How is this a punishment?_

He said nothing as Onii-chan brushed his hair thoroughly. When Amelda decided he had brushed it enough, he used the brush and his hands to pull Mokuba's hair into a ponytail at the top of his head. Still clenching the ponytail in place with his left fist, Amelda returned the hairbrush to the drawer using his right hand. Then, he pulled out a pair of scissors. "No!" Mokuba yelled. He hopped off the stool and tried to run away, but Amelda held on fast.

"Yes!" Amelda responded fiercely, forcibly pulling Mokuba back onto the stool by the hair. "This is your atonement for damaging my oven and my valuables!" In three quick snips between Amelda's fist and Mokuba's roots, Mokuba lost the majority of his hair. Now it was just a wee bit longer than Amelda's, but extremely layered. "You should consider yourself lucky, kiddo," Amelda said. "Your hair will grow back." He tied the severed ponytail with a hair band. "I'm going to frame this," he said menacingly, "and mount it on the wall above the oven to serve as a warning to future violators of the Kitchen Rules. I won't be so nice to them. You've done someone a favor."

Sure enough, two days later, there it was. Amelda had softened up after his fury evaporated and gave Mokuba a nice haircut. It did not look good just chopped off. Mokuba insisted to Onii-chan not to give him a "girly" cut, but something cool. It was short and spiky, and only a little on the feminine side - nothing like Amelda's, but Mokuba just knew that the girls were going to go wild over his cool new style!

Amelda had bought himself a new oven. Mokuba had to hide in the bedroom when the delivery men came. When Onii-chan called out that it was safe for him to emerge, Mokuba asked, "What the hell are you so happy about?"

"You should have seen this one guy," Amelda gleefully replied, all smiles, "He was gorgeous! I really enjoyed watching him move the two ovens around. The broad shoulders… the cute ass…"

"I don't need to hear this!" Mokuba screeched, but he was smiling, too. "Did you get his phone number?"

"No. I only flirted a little," Amelda informed him. "He didn't really flirt back. He was probably straight."

"Does that stop you?" Mokuba cajoled. He was grinning ear to ear. _Why can't Nii-sama be more open like Onii-chan? _Mokuba wondered. _He could learn a lot from him_.

"I am respectful of others," Amelda replied. "But I do believe that if they can be persuaded, it's all the more fun for the both of us."

Mokuba giggled. "Do you sleep with any guy, as long as he is willing?" Mokuba asked.

"Hell no!" Amelda defended. "I'm not a slut!" He added snootily, "I have my standards."

"Ano, I thank you for not bringing anyone home while I'm here," Mokuba said. He ran is fingers through his short hair. It was still taking time for him to get used to it.

"Ano, I'm not seeing anyone anyways," Amelda admitted. "And it has nothing to do with you. It's been over a year now…" Amelda did not need to finish his sentence. Mokuba raised an eyebrow, "You are still better off than Nii-sama."

"Ouch," Amelda laughed. "You are pretty hard on him. I remember you used to do whatever he said even if you disagreed with him. What happened?"

"I turned thirteen," Mokuba answered. "I'm a man now. I don't have to listen to him."

"Yes, you do," Amelda contradicted. "Like it or not, he is your legal guardian, and he is older, more experienced, and more mature. And you are not a man, yet. You still have a lot to learn."

"More experienced?" Mokuba repeated skeptically. "Maybe in everything else but love. He is just as ignorant as I am when it comes to women. Besides… I've kissed a girl, he hasn't even gotten that far!"

"How do you know?" Amelda inquired, "You don't know what he does when you're not around. He could have gotten a lot farther than you realize and just not have told you about it." Mokuba looked doubtful. "Plus, there are those dates you've been setting him up on. How is that going?"

"Pretty good," Mokuba replied. "I've gotten an angry email from the first lady I set him up with. So, he must have showed up, which means it's working!"

"Poor woman," Amelda sympathized. He sighed deeply and decided to not think about what he was missing, with or without the success of Plan C. Teasingly, the redhead asked, "You're only thirteen and you've already kissed a girl? Sounds like you're on the fast track. How's that mustache coming along?"

"Beautifully," Mokuba answered. "See this?" The redhead leaned in closer as Mokuba pointed to his upper lip. "There's a hair!"

"I don't see anything," Amelda chided. "I think you're imagining things."

Mokuba scowled, "It's there! I'm growing a mustache. You can't stop me, Onii-chan!"

* * *

**A/N**: See my forum, **Ink**, for information regarding the foreshadowing in the beginning of this chapter. To those unfamiliar with FF: A link to my forum can be found on my profile page, which can be accessed by clicking on my name.

And for a mental image of Moki's new cut, think Killua from HunterxHunter.


	8. Blind Date from Hell

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: (sigh) Yes, one for every chapter… I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. (bored)

Chapter 8

_How did I get myself into this? _Seto asked himself. _Maybe I should leave now_. He was ten minutes into his _second _blind date. He naturally assumed when he got another email almost identical to the first, that it was another blind date. He came anyways, hoping again that this person might have some information about Mokuba. Again, he was disappointed with the fact that she was another stranger who had not the slightest inkling of what he really wanted.

While she rambled on about her woes with gusto, Seto thought back to his first blind date. With a firm resolution, he decided he liked the first lady much better. He ignored what the woman in front of him was saying. At the moment, she seemed to be an audience unto herself, laughing at her own bizarre jokes and answering her own stupid questions. Seto understood that there had to be a connection between the dating service and Mokuba's disappearance, and he was determined to sit this one out to see if it would give him any clues.

His second date could only be described as trashy. Glossy, lime-green synthetic material was stretched taut over her bosom to just barely legal past her hips. She was completely nude from the cleavage up and the ever-slipping hemline down to her matching lime-green platforms. The man at the table next to theirs was checking out her legs, until his wife whacked him upside the head with her purse and gnashed her teeth, saying, "She is not even decent enough to wear nylons!" Seto was surprised to see his date smile at this as if it were a compliment.

She turned her pasty made-up face to Seto. "Some women are just jealous because I've got what their husbands _really_ want," she winked and pointed at her over-exposed breasts, which threatened to burst out of their wrapping any second. Instead of turning Seto on, he only thought of how long it would take for him to run to the door.

To shake him out of this scary thought, the waiter appeared with the very expensive food and wine she had ordered for the both of them. Seto did not mind the price - he could easily afford it - but he was under the distinct impression that she was deliberately taking advantage of him. She dove into her plate. After a minute, she said suddenly, "I don't think you're spontaneous enough for me."

Seto made no reply. _What a stupid statement_, he thought. _Not too mention incredibly rude… _For the first time in half an hour, she seemed to be waiting for a response from him. He had not spoken a word since he had asked her about Mokuba. "What?" he asked, irritated.

"What would you say is your worst quality?" she asked airily.

"I wouldn't," Seto muttered.

"Wouldn't what?"

"I wouldn't say anything is my worst quality," Seto snarled. He was beginning to detest this woman.

"Fine," she smirked. "What's your best quality?"

"There are too many to choose from," Seto replied. "But flattery won't get you anywhere with me." And he added to himself, _You don't even have a prayer_.

"I think that my best quality is my body. No… my eyes," she said. She smiled at him. He had to admit that her grey eyes were her best feature.

"I agree."

"Oooohh…" she simpered. "I feel like we are made for each other, don't you?" Seto took a big mouthful of food, hoping her short attention span would lose interest in an answer. It worked. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"The food is delicious," Seto diverted. He was starting to feel really uncomfortable. He hated it when people fished for compliments, and he hated being asked irrelevant questions. So, he decided that in order to get out of this interview-like conversation, he would have to ask her a question. "What sort of work do you do?"

"I'm… uh…" she paused, looking uncomfortable. "I'm between jobs at the moment." Seto rolled his eyes. She did not notice. She pursed her lips, and inquired, "How much money do you have exactly? I mean… I know you are quite rich, but I was wondering if you knew the exact amount."

"When it becomes your business, I'll let you know," Seto answered truthfully. He did not let anyone know the exact amount partially because it was only the business of those who handled his finances and taxes, and partially because he did not know the exact figure himself. He spent yen in the millions and earned yen in the tens and hundreds of millions. It was a flowing current, impossible to keep track of unless you devoted every second of the day to it.

"Do I look fat in this?" she asked out of the blue. Seto nearly choked on the tea he happened to be taking a sip of at that moment. He had heard of this dreaded question before, but never before had he been asked. He did not mind omitting the truth when it was to his advantage, but he detested out-right lying. He looked at her slim frame. Her collar-bone was too prominent for his aesthetic taste. "Well?" she persisted impatiently.

He decided to go with the truth in (what he thought was) a constructive manner. "If you really need to ask that question, I suggest you seek psychiatric help. You are not fat in any way. If anything, you could stand to gain some weight."

Instead of being mortified, she only raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she said coyly. "I was only testing you. I already knew that," she stopped for a second and narrowed her pretty silver eyes. "But I disagree with you, I don't think I'm underweight."

"Then don't ask if you already know the answer."

"If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one person, who would you want it to be?" she asked. Seto could tell that the change in subject meant she was continuing to test him. This aggravated him. However, he gave the question some serious consideration. His first impulse was to say Mokuba, but only because Mokuba is the only person he loved in his life. Then, he thought that he would rather not be stuck on a desert island, period.

"I would like to be stranded with someone who could build a boat," he answered finally. Her face fell, not bothering to hide her obvious disappointment with his answer. She was quiet for one minute, then brightened at her next brainchild.

"Tell me about your past lovers," she asked, leaning forward to rest her head on her hands.

_Past lovers? _Seto thought. "I don't have any," he confessed. He did not count the woman in his past life. His past self was a separate entity from himself. Kisara's legacy continued on through the Blue-eyes White Dragon, but that is where the connection ended.

"No ex-girlfriends?" His date looked shocked. "Someone as rich as you? I would have thought you would have a different girl in bed with you each night of the week."

"If you truly thought that," Seto remarked, "then why did you want to go on this blind date with me?"

"_Blind_ date: I didn't know it was you!" she exclaimed. "To be honest, I feel like you are a different person than the one I've been instant messaging all this time."

Seto smiled, _Now we're getting somewhere_. His efforts to find clues to Mokuba's connection to this scheme were going to pay off. "What did I seem like before?"

"Sweet… funny… and a bit immature," she answered honestly.

Seto felt like he was being fooled. _It's almost exactly the same as what the first blind date said_, he related. "Is that it? Can you tell me anything else?"

"I thought you said flattery wouldn't get me anywhere," her eyes widened as if she was delighted to find a loophole of some sort.

Irritation! Seto felt as if little crawly things were creeping all over his skin and in his hair. He hated having statements he made thrown back into his face. _This is not going to get me anywhere_, he scolded himself. _Or rather, she won't get me anywhere._

"You remind me of an ex-boyfriend of mine," she informed. "You are better looking than he is but much more arrogant. There was this other guy I dated…" and she continued on to compare and contrast him with all the other guys she had ever been with. Seto tuned it out rather than let himself get angry. He thought about where Mokuba possibly might be and what he could do to find him. His thoughts were interrupted when she said, "Check this out." She pulled out some folded papers from her purse and handed it to him. His interest immediately peaked, thinking of his younger brother. Glancing down a long list of crimes, he was utterly bewildered as to what this had to do with Mokuba.

"What's this?" he asked, frustrated.

"It's my criminal record," she replied smugly. There were a lot of misdemeanors and a couple felonies. 'Grand auto theft' stuck out in particular. "I'm one bad girl…" she purred, smiling naughtily.

"Is this supposed to impress me?" Seto scorned scathingly. She pouted. Evidently she thought it would. Seto tossed the papers back to her and finished eating. He sighed heavily, feeling that two more weeks until the end of summer could not come fast enough.

A few more minutes passed in stone-cold silence. Music began to suddenly play from her sequined tangerine purse. She reached in and pulled out her cell-phone. Glancing at the caller ID, "It's my boyfriend," she informed Seto. And she answered, "What do you want? I'm in the middle of my date!"

Seto dropped his chopsticks in disbelief. He was so appalled he could not think of what to do or say. He decided making a scene would be too embarrassing. He listened to her half of the conversation while staring at his now empty plate. She began to argue with him! It was over a few seconds later when she hung up on her boyfriend.

"Why…" Seto asked slowly, feeling this question was more valid now, "would you go on a date if you already have a boyfriend?"

"He's not husband material," she said matter-of-factly, "but he's really good in bed. I'm interested in marriage, and he doesn't fulfill my requirements. I signed up with the dating service to find someone who does." She gave Seto a smile that clearly said she thought he would fit her criteria.

"I see," Seto sneered. "You are just using him. Why should I consider you to be wife material? Why should I be interested in someone who uses men?"

"I'm ovulating," she answered. Seto's instant reaction was that she was out of her mind. "I get really horny around this time," she continued, "but I don't want that loser to be the father of my baby."

Seto wiped his face with his napkin. He could taste bile as he forced his stomach to unclench. Trying to calm down and relax, he said with a shaking voice, "I think it's time I leave now."

"You can't leave!" she shrieked loudly. Half the restaurant fell silent, listening. "Who will pay the bill?" Seto waved over a waiter and gave him a credit card. The waiter returned with astonishing speed. He handed the pale CEO his credit card and receipt.

"Good night," Seto said coldly. "Don't _ever _contact me again!"

_

* * *

_

When Seto arrived home he went straight to his study and called up the dating service. Since it was after-business hours, he left an angry message threatening everything from shutting down their business to disembowelment!

"I need to relax," Seto stated aloud to himself once he had hung up and took several deep breaths to calm himself down. His immediate thought was of work, and he reached over to turn on his computer; but, after realizing his brain was completely fried from the whole excruciating experience, he recoiled his hand. _Trying to work now might have a negative effect_, he thought. _What do other people do to relax?_

Twenty minutes later, Seto found himself in his ornate master bathroom. The smell of daffodils perfumed the air as Seto poured light colored yellow liquid into the running hot tap water. Dense white foam engorged itself in the tub, and bubbles floated merrily about the room. _There's a first time for everything_, Seto thought desperately. He turned off the tap once the foam threatened to overflow.

His robe fell to the floor, and he slipped into the bubble bath. Every ache was soothed away in seconds. He breathed in the fragrance and closed his eyes. _Why in the hell did I never try this before? _Now he understood why people made such a big fuss over bubble baths. He made a mental note to himself to never call the activity "trivial" or "a waste of time" again. He let his mind remain blank. The lack of the buzzing of thoughts relaxed him, and contentment permeated throughout.

His eyes sprung open as a thought violated his quiet bliss.

_What will you do when I move away?_

Mokuba's voice echoed in his mind as loudly as it would have had he been standing right next to him. Fragments from their last conversation were returning to haunt him, again.

_Aren't you lonely?_

_Yes_, Seto answered before he could stop himself. He could taste salty tears trickling down the back of his throat as his eyes stung. _It's unfair_, he thought. _I believed I had everything I needed. _His mind went back to the note Mokuba had left for him. It told him to reconsider what Mokuba had said. _Okay Mokuba_, Seto thought, _I'll reconsider it_.

* * *

A/N: Reviews please! I really would appreciate your reactions to this chapter. It's been said that comedy is hard to write. Please keep in mind that I do not hate women, I just wanted to have fun and write the "Date from Hell!" Mwa ha ha ha! 


	9. Seto's Second Lesson

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. There should be an aspirin for the pain this brings. (sniffs)

Chapter 9

_I would rather be stuck in an elevator with Jonouchi again_, Seto thought bitterly. He was feeling low, and the thought made him feel even lower. Vivian Wong sat across from him in the café that she had suggested. She was his third blind date. He attended because he thought he would at least _try_ Mokuba's advice. Several nights prior after his second blind date, he had seriously reconsidered what Mokuba had said. This was the result.

Vivian had squealed with delight at the sight of him. His first impulse had been to walk away, and pretend he was not her blind date. She wore the same kind of outfit that she had worn to Grand Prix, except the colors were reversed. Her Chinese-style dress was pink, and her twin hair buns were covered in yellow. Vivian was ecstatic with joy. She clasped her hands together and held them up beside her face, squeezing herself in a kind of hug.

They had ordered food, but Vivian had not even taken a bite, while Seto's plate had been cleared off in two minutes flat. He said nothing and only half listened to her speeches about the two of them.

Vivian expounded about her wins in Duel Monsters championships across China and neighboring countries. She proclaimed that Seto and herself would not only be the champion duel couple of Asia, but of the world as well. _I don't need you to be a world champion_, Seto thoughts had replied to this statement. The only thing that kept him in his seat as he looked around was that he realized he had made a fatal mistake in coming to this particular café.

The establishment seemed to attract and cater to women exactly like Vivian - young, beautiful, loud, high maintenance, and pastel colored. Everywhere he looked, every different color of eyes under the sun flashed a wink his way and a glare at Vivian. What was worse was that none of them seemed to have dates but were hanging around as if this café were a watering hole for their kind. Seto had never been afraid of women, and the present situation was no exception. But he was definitely on edge. _Will they swarm upon me if I try to leave? _Seto wondered. _Would I be able to escape? _He could just visualize himself being drowned in a sea of pastel. So far, sitting with Vivian seemed to keep the forces of estrogen at bay.

Vivian either was oblivious to the looks of daggers she was receiving from her fellow ladies, or she did not care. "If only Yugi were mine, we would be king and queen! We would be royalty!" Vivian exclaimed. She squealed so loudly, Seto's eardrums throbbed.

He grinned. She had just given him an idea! _I swear, Jonouchi, if this works I'll be a disciple of the power of friendship forever_, Seto thought desperately. "Yugi is a good friend of mine," Seto lied. "In fact, you just reminded me that I have to go and see him! Good-bye!" He said the last part in a carrying voice, so the Vivian look-a-likes would hear, too. An astonished Vivian gaped like a fish out of water, unable to reply. A hundred pairs of eyes tinted with disappointment followed him out the door and out of sight.

_

* * *

_

In retrospect, Seto concluded that Vivian herself was not as bad as his second date, but the situation was much creepier. Half an hour later, he found himself standing outside Kame Game Shop. Jonouchi's words about how Seto had nothing to lose by seeing Yugi made sense. And the CEO had meant it when he said Mokuba meant much more to him than his rivalry with Yugi.

Since it was late at night, Seto was a little hesitant to ring the doorbell. He did anyways, and Yugi's grandfather answered. "Kaiba-kun?" Sugoroku queried, "What brings you here at this hour? Our store is closed now."

"I didn't come for your merchandise, _Jii-san_," (7) Seto informed him, "but to speak with Yugi. It's very important. Does he still live here?"

"Yes, he still lives here," Sugoroku replied. "He just came home from work, as a matter of fact." He opened the door to admit Seto. "This way." Seto noticed Sugoroku was in his polka-dot pajamas and matching nightcap, and he felt a tiny twinge of guilt for being so rude to visit this late at night. But because he was looking for Mokuba, he brushed this aside. The old man led Seto to his grandson's bedroom. "Yugi," he called. "There's someone here to see you!"

Yugi opened the door a crack and gave Seto a surprised look. "Just a second, please," he said and shut the door. Sugoroku walked away to go back to bed. Seto only had to wait a minute before Yugi opened wide his door and let him in. "Kaiba-kun? Are you here about Mokuba-kun?"

"Yes," Seto said. Glancing around quickly, the bedroom contained what he had expected: a desk, a chair, a gold box, some books, and a few posters. (21) "I know you said you don't have him, or that you don't know where he is," Seto referred to the time Yugi had come by his office, offering help when Mokuba's disappearance was first on the news. "But after talking to Jonouchi, I wanted to see if you could help."

"Now?" Yugi asked, startled. "It's almost midnight!"

"No… I meant…" Seto realized he sounded stupid, so he provided his explanation. "Where Mokuba is concerned, the time of day is of no importance to me. Your grandfather said you just got off work. Don't you work here?"

"Yes," Yugi answered, sitting down upon his bed. "But I have a second full-time job on the other side of town."

"Two full-time jobs?" Seto added up the hours, and it did not sum up to leave any spare time for school. "Don't you go to school with Jonouchi?" He had assumed the two friends did everything together.

"No, I'm saving up my money to go to America," Yugi said matter-of-factly. "Then I'll go to school there." He neglected to tell Seto his real reason for going to the United States, figuring correctly that it was none of his business and that he would not care. "Jonouchi-kun and I have been looking all over Domino City for Mokuba-kun," Yugi informed Seto when the latter did not respond. "Most people said they know nothing, but a few had said they had him. When we went to their houses, we found that they were lying for attention. Some people like to take advantage of these kinds of situations."

Seto made eye contact. Yugi's face was pleasant enough, but it was impossible to tell what he really was thinking. The truth was that Yugi was a little wary of Seto, for Jonouchi had told him that the CEO was a little unbalanced lately. "Thank you for your efforts," Seto replied finally. "I would appreciate it if you would continue to do whatever you can to help." He turned to leave, feeling awkward.

"Kaiba-kun?" Yugi prompted, causing Seto to pause before leaving. "Jonouchi-kun told me Mokuba-kun's reason for running away." Yugi could not help himself, he was dying of curiosity, and he deduced that Jonouchi had been exaggerating about Seto's mental health. "I can't help but wonder if this might be beneficial for you."

"Do you really think so?" Seto mocked. He turned around to face Yugi and folded his arms. "Jonouchi had said that I should learn not to be so controlling. He said it would help me learn to love. I take it you agree with him."

"He said you agreed with him, too," Yugi replied with a wry smile. "Have you changed your mind?"

"No."

"Then why the attitude?" Yugi asked boldly. His disposition was as sweet as ever, but he was not intimidated by Seto in the least. Especially since he had grown a fair amount in the last few years.

Seto was a little taken aback by the forwardness, but forwardness is what he appreciated. He smiled slightly. "I get confused sometimes," he admitted. "Love isn't my area of expertise. I understand pride better."

"May I ask you a question, Kaiba-kun? I think it might help you," Yugi said. He crossed his legs on the bed, waiting for a reaction.

Seto gave him a momentary passive stare. "Okay," he conceded.

"Kaiba-kun, do you even _want_ love in your life? Mokuba-kun may be doing this with your best interest at heart, but I know you are the one who determines what your best interest are. Is finding love a priority for you?"

Seto's expression did not alter, except to break eye contact to stare off into space. "It never has been a priority," Seto began thoughtfully. "Mokuba has always been my first priority and Kaiba Corp second," he paused. "But I do think it's something I should look into. Mokuba brought up a very good point when he asked me what I would do once he moved out. Sooner or later, he will find love, get married, and go and raise a family of his own. I've just never seen myself in an empty house."

"Hmmm…" Yugi murmured thoughtfully. He was an attentive listener, and this enabled him to read between the lines. "You've taken for granted Mokuba's company. Now that he's run away, you realize what life is like without it. Sure, he won't leave your life for good when he's married, but he will be around a lot less. You don't want to be in that big house of yours by yourself. I don't blame you." Yugi held up a hand to stop Seto from interrupting, which surprisingly worked. Seto was aggravated by being exposed to the naked truth, but he was keen to hear the rest of what Yugi had to say.

"I know that you like to create your own future, rather than have it decided for you," Yugi paused, knowing full well he had acquired Seto's undivided attention. "Then you should take comfort in the fact that love in your future is something that you decide. You control it… in a way. Love isn't something that just falls into your lap. It's something you work for. Kaiba Corp would not stand here today if you did not put in a daily effort," Yugi hated using business as a metaphor, but he decided to use it anyway to help Seto understand in his own terms. "Love is like that; it takes daily effort."

"So you're saying that success in love takes time and energy?" Seto confirmed. Yugi nodded. "I always assumed it was more spontaneous." He shuddered slightly, thinking of his last two dates.

"Infatuation is spontaneous, and necessary for the initial attraction," Yugi affirmed. "Love is proactive, not reactive. Time is required for the art of love; whether it's martial arts, painting, technology, etc - just like any other kind of art it takes knowledge, discipline, care, responsibility, and respect. You can't learn these things overnight."

Seto did not bother to sit down at the chair that was only two feet from him. He continued to stand with his arms folded. His eyes were back on Yugi, taking in every single word he was saying. In Seto's mind, he had to be successful in any activity he chose to do. Since he realized how little he knew of the subject, he was determined to be successful by Yugi's advice. It made sense to him, especially when Yugi had compared love to Kaiba Corp.

Yugi felt weird giving Seto a lecture on love. He decided to leave Duel Monsters out of the conversation, because he did not want Seto's competitive nature to be aroused and screw up the point. Yugi gulped before continuing. "Knowledge of a person is gained over time. Since everyone is unique, you need to spend quality time understanding the uniqueness of that person. You will learn little things like quirks and idiosyncrasies, and you will learn big things like their basic personality and disposition."

"I know Mokuba pretty well," Seto muttered, making the connection. "He likes to draw things - particularly women. When he was younger, he would draw Duel Monsters," Yugi held his breath, expecting the worse. "He would draw Blue Eyes for me all the time. Still does," Seto said, absentminded of Yugi exhaling his tension. "He hasn't really decided what sort of career he would like when he graduates, but a couple months ago he asked me if I would give him a job as a graphic designer." Seto shrugged. He knew Mokuba would probably change his mind on what job to obtain at least ten times before he graduated.

"Ano," Yugi replied, "you can apply the care and knowledge you practice with Mokuba to another. As a martial arts master would say, 'with knowledge comes discipline; with discipline comes responsibility.'" Yugi checked to see that Seto was still listening and continued. "Responsibility is often interpreted as duty - one's obligation. In the case of love, this is not true."

"Really?" Seto asked, surprised by this statement. "How can you say that?" Every fiber in his being was screaming. He wanted so badly to find Mokuba, because he loved him. It was his obligation - his very existence.

"Perhaps I'm being too semantical. Obligations and duties are imposed upon us by family, society, and other external sources," Yugi stated. "In love, responsibility can be interpreted as a _self-imposed obligation_. You oblige to care and be responsible for Mokuba because _you_ decided. He's your brother and you love him. Your efforts and decisions go a long ways. To be _responsible_ means to be able and ready to _respond_. That isn't something that is learned overnight, either."

"Okay, I agree with you on the self-imposed thing," Seto said. "I certainly can relate to that. I…" He fell silent, not knowing exactly what he wanted to say next.

"I know that you are a good older brother," Yugi said kindly. "I know that you are very responsible with Mokuba-kun. It wasn't due to any lack of responsibility that he ran away. You anticipate Mokuba's needs before he does; that is how responsibility in love works. He ran away to teach you to apply this and the other aspects of love to others - or at least one other. He doesn't want you to be lonely."

"Hmm," Seto mumbled. He was digesting all of the information that Yugi had given. "I can see now how to utilize these components of love to solve the solution of loneliness," Seto stated. "But, as of the present moment I don't care to do so. My first priority is to find Mokuba. Once I've got him back and when he gets a little older, then I will start to worry about it. It's still too soon…" He unfolded his arms and relaxed. "Thank you Yugi, you've been very helpful. I won't forget your wisdom."

"Are you leaving?" Yugi asked, a little relieved.

"Ano, it is midnight," Seto said with a superior air. "I won't take any more of your time."

Yugi ground his teeth in irritation even after Seto had left. "That guy…" Yugi muttered, empathizing with Jonouchi's usual anger towards Kaiba, "has a lot to learn." He looked out the window to watch Seto leave. He noticed a nearby bush rustle before Seto got to his car, and Vivian Wong leapt out to glomp the unsuspecting CEO. He gave a strangled yell and shoved her off. Yugi could hear her drunken squeals, but it was unintelligible. She matched Seto stride for stride. As he reached his car, he had to fight her off from getting inside with him. He slammed the door as she fell onto the pavement. Tires burned rubber as he floored the accelerator. She sat there for a minute or two when he disappeared out of sight, then teetered off into the night.

"Yup," Yugi affirmed, muttering under his breath, "a _lot_ to learn…"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

If you're wondering from where Yugi gets all this wisdom, let me clarify. He's older, wiser, and has the courage of the tenderheart. It's not so farfetched. Plus, (since it's fan-fiction) I can pretend that he has read "The Art of Loving," by Erich Fromm. This is my resource for all different things Seto learns while he's looking for Mokuba.

For those of you savvy readers who know that in Japan they drive on the left side of the road: either Seto was parked illegally, or it is a one-way street. Guess which one...


	10. Amelda's Reason

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Knock-knock. (Who's there?) It is not the owner of Yu-Gi-Oh. (What kind of knock-knock joke is that?) It isn't - it's a disclaimer. I do not own.

Chapter 10

Mokuba sat at the computer desk, typing away, and checking his handwritten notes every so often. He was working on his English report for his book, "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler." He and Amelda finished it yesterday. They had been reading it together for the last week when the elder noticed that Mokuba had not gotten very far into it. "You need to finish it soon, kiddo, so you will have enough time to write a decent report," Onii-chan had pointed out sternly. "Your vacation is half over." He agreed to help by making Mokuba read aloud to him. The latter hated this idea until after he tried it. His English improved three-fold because Amelda was a stickler on pronunciation and could explain odd English rules and the vocabulary.

"What's the difference between _a_, _an_, and _the_?" Mokuba had asked once. Amelda immediately proceeded in explaining the use of determinatives. Mokuba ended up learning a lot more with Amelda in one week than he did his previous semester in school. _Nii-sama will be so proud of me_, Mokuba thought.

Amelda was in the bedroom, picking up Mokuba's clothes off the floor. _My messy habits are rubbing off on him_, Amelda thought. _Kaiba is not going to like that_. He searched under the bed, found a few more articles of clothing, and Mokuba's duffle bag that he was looking for. Earlier in the morning, Mokuba had a sudden panic attack telling Onii-chan that he did not have any clean underwear other than the briefs he was wearing. Amelda's first reaction was that of a typical parent, "Why didn't you tell me this yesterday? Or anytime sooner?" So, Amelda had to drop all his plans for the day to do Mokuba's laundry at the laundromat; the apartment complex he lived in did not have a washer and dryer for the tenants' use.

Amelda sighed. He went over to the closet, pulled out the hamper, and over-turned it onto his bed. He sighed again, feeling slightly depressed. Amelda began sorting through his clothes and Mokuba's. Once he had gathered all of Mokuba's, he stuffed them into the empty duffle bag and zipped it shut. There was no room for Amelda to bring his laundry, too. He returned his own clothes to the hamper and put the hamper away. He stopped in front of his vanity mirror, startled by his reflection.

The look in his silver eyes said it all. It had been almost three weeks since he first picked up Kaiba's younger brother, and this is what happened. Amelda bonded with Mokuba. He started to really care about him and love him like he was his younger brother. He had tried to stop himself, but was lousy at not embracing such brotherly love. Amelda's prediction that Mokuba would not replace Miruko, but help fill the void anew, came true. Amelda's reflection began to swim before him through watery tears. He closed his eyes, unable to look at himself any longer and recognize the pain. A familiar memory flashbacked in living color as saline droplets streaked down his face to his chin.

_"You really are like a lost dog," Seto said with a trace of pity._

_"You said if you were me you would save your brother," Amelda said. "Are you sure you could do it?"_

_"Sure." Seto replied in total confidence._

_"Don't talk nonsense!" Amelda exclaimed disbelievingly. He so badly wanted to believe… "I have three monsters. Before the plane crashes, how are you going to defeat me and save Mokuba?"_

_"Just carry on, Amelda," Seto affirmed forcefully, clenching a fist. "I won't let Mokuba die; I'll end this duel in the next round."_

_"Can you make it?" Amelda asked. Seeing the look in Kaiba's eyes, he suddenly wanted to be the one who was wrong, "Just show me…" Amelda spread his arms open in invitation. "It's your turn now."_

_"Amelda, look at the power of a real dueler and the splendor of the chosen one!"_

Amelda was in love with Kaiba. The seed was planted at that very moment when Amelda took a leap of faith. He had held Kaiba responsible for Miruko's death. The son of Gozoboro had became the scapegoat for Amelda's own guilt. Kaiba had exposed the hypocrisy of the psychotic pacifist. Amelda could hear the love in Kaiba's voice for his brother, which led him to believe that he could be wrong about Kaiba… about everything.

He trusted Kaiba. This was a huge issue for Amelda because Trust was sacred to him. Thus, Amelda was always very selective of whom he trusted. _I did not even have myself to believe in, and suddenly I was believing in my sworn enemy. _The seed developed a little shoot when Amelda got his soul back. He had been wrong. Instead of that destroying Amelda, it was the first step to being healed. His weary soul was _happy_.

The little shoot grew; because every time something good happened in Amelda's life, the redhead would stop for moment and say a prayer of thanks to Kaiba for giving him his soul back. He fell in love with his hero.

_I gave you that chance_, Amelda spoke to Kaiba in his head, as if he were telepathic. _Without me, your soul would have been lost. I gave you the chance to prove that you were right, to save me, and the world. _Amelda sunk to the dingy carpet floor of his bedroom; his heart ached. _How can you not love me in return?_

The moment returned when Amelda got the crazy urge to keep Mokuba for himself. He felt that selfish urge from time to time, and it tore him in two. Mokuba trusted Amelda. The redhead had promised that he would return Mokuba to Kaiba not on Mokuba's request, but of his own initiative. Amelda knew that it would take something as powerful as a pinky promise to override his desire to selfishly keep Mokuba. He made that prediction when he decided to comply with Mokuba's Plan. Amelda knew himself better than most people could ever hope to know themselves.

_I could have won_, Amelda reminded himself, _and it would have destroyed me. I never would have gotten myself back. But I did the right thing... How can you not see, Kaiba, that I love you? _Amelda pulled himself up off the floor and onto the bed. He put a hand upon the duffle bag, letting his selfish desire to keep Mokuba be transient, and pass on its own. _I love you, Kaiba; so, I will not hurt you by keeping your brother. I hope you understand I only kept him to make myself worthy of you. He promised me this would make us even. _

Amelda curled up into a fetal position on the bed next to the bag. Even though painful memories caused him weariness, Amelda had a very strong soul. It got stronger the more he understood himself, the more standards he place upon himself, and the greater the love he gave. But his soul was very weary, and he needed to rest. He started to cry again, harder this time. This time, he could not stop. Crying was inefficient to Amelda, but unlike Kaiba, he knew that he had to let it be transient and pass on its own.

Mokuba's heart stopped. He could hear a strange noise just barely audible over the pattering of the keys. Mokuba stopped typing to hear better. Now he knew for certain and his heart pounded fiercely. It was a noise he was familiar with after living three weeks with Amelda. But he had only heard it during the deepest parts of the night, when Amelda was trapped in his own subconscious, reliving nightmares of his past.

Mokuba's eyes stung. He never heard Amelda cry during the day. The redhead was usually gay and cheerful, smiling like a cheshire-cat and jovially teasing Mokuba whenever the opportunity presented itself. _Onii-chan!_ Mokuba walked over to the door of the bedroom and opened it slowly.

Amelda's curled back faced Mokuba, who was agonizing over what to say to make his onii-chan feel better. _He's usually so confident and strong_, Mokuba thought, _just like Nii-sama._ Mokuba had been the one to understand Amelda's suffering when the redhead stalked his prey, trying to reap their souls; and Mokuba also had been the one to understand that Amelda had a good soul. Mokuba wanted to help. He treaded carefully, as if his footfalls might scare off Amelda. "Onii-chan?" Mokuba called softly, laying a hand on his back. "What can I do for you?"

Amelda tensed slightly at the touch, and dared not move. He was afraid if Mokuba saw his face he would know everything. "You are a blessing to me just being here," Amelda whispered kindly. "There isn't anything else you can do besides that."

Tears fell silently from velvet eyes. "Onii-chan!" Mokuba cried, and he slumped on top of Amelda. Onii-chan rolled over and hugged Mokuba in a tight embrace, pressing him to his heart, and giving him a kiss on the top of his head.

For several hours neither one spoke nor moved. They both stopped crying not long after, but each needed the other to hold on to for a little longer. Finally, Amelda gave a gentle nudge to persuade Mokuba to get off him. He complied. Amelda could see in his eyes what he was thinking. "You don't want to leave me, do you?" Amelda stated, "And you want your nii-sama back. You miss him, but you don't want to leave me. You should know that you can't have it both ways."

"Why not?" Mokuba pouted. "I can never give up Nii-sama! But… I don't want to give up you either, Onii-chan!"

"What do you suggest that we do then?" Amelda asked rhetorically. "What plan can you come up with this time?" He wanted Mokuba to realize that there was no way to have it both ways through Mokuba's failure at conceiving the Perfect Plan. Amelda received a little jolt at Mokuba's ingenious reply.

"You're _gay_! Can't you seduce Nii-sama or something?" Mokuba said this as if this was the most obvious solution in the world. Amelda had to laugh a little at Mokuba's simplicity.

"For that to work, kiddo, your nii-sama would have to be gay, too." Amelda explained matter-of-factly. He smiled a little and felt better, in spite that he was stating the very thing that he most wanted he believed would never happen. He looked at Mokuba's passive face, who was obviously thinking up a storm but it was impossible to tell what. "Would you be okay with your nii-sama being gay?" Amelda asked.

"I'm okay with you, aren't I?" Mokuba replied. He had that determined look in his eyes again.

"It's not the same thing," Amelda responded. "He is your real older brother. You might feel differently." Amelda knew that some people were okay with homosexuals, as long as it was not someone within their own family.

Mokuba pondered this possibility. He had not really been serious about hooking Onii-chan and Nii-sama up together, and he wondered how he truly would feel if that were to happen. "I don't think I would feel different about Nii-sama being a homosexual; I think I would accept him and love him just as I do now," Mokuba said thoughtfully. He looked Amelda straight in the eyes, "But I don't think _you _would be good for my Nii-sama."

"What?" Amelda ejaculated. He could not believe this - much less the conversation. "How dare you say that?"

"Oh come on, Onii-chan - use your head!" Mokuba said, exasperated as if explaining one plus two equals three for the millionth time. "You two would fight all the time! Nii-sama has to control everything - and you can't be controlled! You're both stubborn as oxen. Nothing will get resolved because neither one of you would concede in a disagreement. You're messy and he's a neat freak. You're laidback and he's uptight. You're both workaholics. The only difference being that you always have to have some sort of hobby to do while with him it's actually work."

"I resent that," Amelda interrupted. "I _do_ work and hobbies are good for you."

"My point is that you would both be very busy and would not have time for each other. That is not a healthy relationship."

Amelda was impressed. "So you have been listening to me?" he said rather than asked. They both had many lengthy conversations over the last three weeks about what makes a relationship healthy, since Mokuba was so keen on the subject.

"You both are very confident," Mokuba continued, "but he's arrogant, and you are humble. He's modest - you're not!" They both snickered at this. "Most importantly… While both of you are very smart and use your heads, you are an extrovertly passionate guy…" Mokuba trailed off, thinking of the knife that was embedded in the wall next to the door. "and Nii-sama is introvertly passionate."

"He's passionate?" Amelda asked skeptically.

"Ano, I don't know about in bed," Mokuba said, pulling a face, "but doesn't passion mean compelling or strong emotion? He certainly has that. The success of Kaiba Corp and Kaiba Land are products of this passion. Nii-sama really does care about disadvantaged children. Duel Monsters is another passion of Nii-sama's. And he loves me…" Mokuba added, "He just keeps all his passion under a layer of ice."

They both grinned at the metaphor. Amelda began to tingle with the concept of Kaiba being passionate about him. "But isn't it possible that if we worked together we could get along?"

"If you two could work together as a team, there would be no stopping you!" Mokuba cheered.

Amelda's smile widened, "Then, if he hypothetically was gay and was in love with me, wouldn't we get along because we're in love with each other? Because we love each other we would overcome our differences, right?"

Mokuba stopped for a moment to study Onii-chan's face. It was the hope in his voice, the fact that he did not say his own love would be hypothetical, and the light in his eyes that Mokuba now knew how Amelda truly felt about Seto. _Could I really have the best of both worlds?_ Mokuba's mind reeled with the tantalizing prospect._ Could I make it happen? _He decided that he would give this some serious thought. "I suppose…" he said, slowly. He did not want Amelda to get his hopes up if Nii-sama was not gay. "I suppose if you two did love each other - truly loved each other - that not even you two could stop yourselves… _if_ Nii-sama is gay. There is no evidence that I know of other than the fact that he has no interest in women."

"Ano, that is the first requirement," Amelda said softly.

"What are the others?"

"There is only one other: you have to be sexually attracted to men," Amelda said with a sly smile. "That is all it takes."

Mokuba considered the possibility. So far, he had no recollection of Nii-sama being attracted to a guy. In fact, Nii-sama seemed to hate every guy he met. He could not stand Yugi and his friends. Yoshi may be bisexual but he was only Nii-sama's friend and was married - so Mokuba did not think this meant anything. "My head hurts," he stated finally. "And don't you have laundry to do?"

Amelda stood up, suddenly serious. "Don't get cheeky with me, kiddo. It's _your_ laundry!" His stern face broke into a grin, and they both started laughing. "Ah, you're right," Amelda said, picking up the duffle bag. "I think I'll take my motorcycle."

"You have a motorcycle?" Mokuba asked excitedly, "Then why do you drive that cardboard box?"

"That cardboard box carries groceries and impetuous thirteen-year-olds," Amelda replied. "Show some respect." Amelda put on his signature leather jacket and strapped the duffle bag to his back. "I'll be back in a few hours," he said. "Try not to ruin anything or burn the place down while I'm gone."

Mokuba watched him go, thinking heavily about how he could persuade Nii-sama to allow Onii-chan to live with them. Mokuba did not figure that Seto was gay - he just wanted the two of them to get along so Amelda could live with them and cook for them. Mokuba could not stand the thought of losing Onii-chan, so he took a break from finishing his report to brainstorm Plan D.


	11. Ducks

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I own… (pinch) Sorry, I was daydreaming. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Chapter 11

Gleaming glass doors stood before him. The interior had a fake marble floor and women that looked as if they were made of plastic behind polished wooden countertops. _Okay, I've seen worse_, Seto Kaiba thought as he stepped through the entrance. _Compared to the rest of this neighborhood, it's not half bad. _He was in Osaka to put an end to this whole dating service disaster once and for all. The CEO casually strode up to the receptionist as if he were not rankled and strung out by the whole affair. She was noisily smacking her bubble gum while twirling a strand of hair around her finger and talking on the phone. "Hello," he smiled as he leaned over the countertop and pressed the button upon the cradle to hang up her phone. "I'm sure that was an interesting conversation, but I have a company to run. This shouldn't take long."

"You hung up my phone!" she exclaimed stupidly. Her mouth was agape. She had dealt with rude customers before, but none were as calmly collected as this.

"Yes, I did," Seto remarked in a cool tone. Boiling irritation was licking the edges of his words. "I am Seto Kaiba, president and CEO of Kaiba Corp. Apparently someone - as a practical joke, I'm sure - signed me up for this dating service without my knowledge. I'm sure you've seen the news recently. I don't have time to waste on this trivial nonsense when I have an impetuous brother to locate and an international company to run. Therefore, you will terminate my account with your dating service…" he paused for effect, "immediately!"

"Okay, your password please?" she asked, returning her attention to her computer.

Seto grounded his teeth so loudly she flinched. "I thought I've told you people before! I don't have the password because I did not sign up! What part of 'I did not sign up!' don't you understand?"

"Okay then, could you answer the security question for me?" she droned. Yelling she could handle; she was desensitized to it.

"Unbelievable…" Seto muttered hotly under his breath. "What's the question?"

"What was your first job?" she asked in a feigned quizzical tone. She blew a bubble with her pastel blue gum. When it popped a second later, so did Seto's shock of the sheer stupidity of the question.

"What an _asinine _question! _Anyone _can answer that!" he blazed. "Everyone knows about Kaiba Corp and that I-"

"It's not Kaiba Corp," the receptionist interrupted smartly. She was staring straight at her screen, avoiding his furious gaze.

"WHAT!" Seto exploded! A window pane fell out from above and shattered on the hard floor next to the potted psuedo-fern. Several people scurried from the lobby in alarm. Seto grabbed her monitor upwards and over the counter to have a look. Surprisingly, the wires connecting it were long enough so that the screen did not lose power when he did so. It read: lemonade stand.

Seto stood there, stunned. He carefully handed her back the monitor without a word. Gulping a few times helped to fight back tears of frustration. The surmounting pressure in his head nauseated him. For several long minutes, the humming of an air conditioner was the only sound to be heard. She waited. No one else was present now - they had all been scared off.

After taking a deep breath to steady himself, Seto remarked, "That was before the orphanage…"

"So you do remember it as your first job," she replied rhetorically.

"Who in their right mind would consider that a job?" Seto snapped. "I'm telling you that someone else signed me up. Now I know who: Mokuba!"

"Your brother?"

"Yes! Only he would know about that! It has to be him." Seto slapped himself in the forehead - something he was not in the habit of doing. "It all makes sense now…" He actually started to laugh. The laughter doubled him over, and he gripped the desk for support. Wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye, he said joyfully, "I am going to _kill _him when I find him!" Straightening himself up, he locked eyes with the lady, "Can you trace this? Can you find out where he is?"

"Uh…" she looked from him to her monitor and back to him. "No," she said. And for the first time, her voice was filled with true emotion: regret. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "but this is done over the internet… and it was so long ago… Our company doesn't have those resources."

Seto looked pensive, "I thought it might be a long shot…" He sighed. Torrents of hopelessness washed over him. "Just take me off the damn thing." She complied without hesitation.

_

* * *

_

Seto walked outside, feeling dazed. He just stood there, completely emotionally drained. Mindlessly, he looked at the sign across the street giving directions to a nearby park - The Duck Pond. _Cute_, Seto thought. He noticed that there was no traffic. The sunlight penetrated his skull. The warmth made him feel sleepy and slow.

Seto saw across the street under the sign a duck waddling his way. She was followed by five baby ducklings still in their downy feathers. The mother duck hopped down off the curb into the street. _It's a good thing there's no traffic_, Seto thought, _if she intends to cross the street_. It turned out she did intend to cross. She waited patiently for all of her offspring to make the jump before proceeding in a beeline straight at Seto on the other side.

As she crossed the halfway point, Seto heard a distant roar of a fast approaching motorcycle to his right. Within seconds, it appeared at high velocity. The mother duck stopped in the middle of the path to quack at the offending vehicle!_ Eeerrrrrrrrrrrrr………!_ The driver came to an abrupt stop mere centimeters away!

Seto was stunned. The water fowl flapped her wings indignantly and gave the front tire a peck with her bill. She must have decided that this settled the matter because she resumed her waddling progression towards Seto. As the biker waited patiently for the five ducklings to follow their mother, Seto had a minute to check him out. He could not see the guy's face, since it was covered with a helmet, but he seemed to think that he knew him from somewhere. His black T-shirt emblazoned with green words in English, _Low and Loose and Full of Juice_, did not ring a bell. Nor did Seto register his generic blue jeans and a duffle bag strapped to the cyclist's back. The maroon and black knee-high boots were familiar; so was the strappy black leather jacket with white leather patches on the shoulders. _I know that guy_, Seto thought, still feeling dazed by the sunlight.

The last duckling made the jump up the curb onto the pavement where Seto was standing. _I must look pretty funny standing here like a moron with ducks at my feet_, Seto belittled himself. He saw the driver's helmeted head turn straight at him before he zoomed off.

_Amelda! _Seto realized two seconds too late.

"_Se_…_to_…!" Seto turned to his left to see a man hurriedly waddling towards him like the biggest duck he had ever seen. "What's with the birds?" the man panted as he neared.

Seto glanced down to his feet where the brood was gathered, quacking madly. "There's a duck pond around here," Seto remarked. "I mean a park. Shoo!" The mother duck quacked loudly at the pair of them and wandered off, her troops in procession.

Seto glanced back up at the man, half bemused and half irritated. Believe it or not, this man was a friend of Seto. The CEO met Yoshi Kiyosaki at a Science & Technology Convention. Yoshi took it upon himself to stick to Seto like a stamp to a letter, much to the latter's annoyance. Yoshi was 44 - twice Seto's age, short, fat, bald, and _eccentric_. He was as flamboyant as he was wealthy. Yoshi had forced his friendship upon Seto, and to everyone's great surprise - especially Mokuba's - Seto had very reluctantly accepted. Yoshi invited him to business conferences, parties, conventions, plays, and dinners. He often dropped by Seto's office unannounced whenever he was in Domino City. Seto was glad Yoshi lived in Osaka, because otherwise Seto would see him _too_ much.

Since Yoshi was a fellow businessman, he understood Seto's world. However, Seto found their conversations interesting and enjoyable not only because of this, but because Yoshi was unlike any other Japanese white-collar Seto knew.

Yoshi took a moment at present to take a silk handkerchief out of his vest pocket to wipe the sweat off his gleaming forehead. Seto waited patiently for him to catch his breath before asking, "What are you doing here on the outskirts of Osaka? I thought you haunted uptown."

Yoshi smiled mischievously and giggled. "Had some business to take care of, Seto," he answered vaguely. His sharp eyes glanced to the sign above the entrance to the building next to them. "A dating service, really?" Yoshi grinned more broadly, "Ano, looks like you've got 'business' of your own!"

"That has nothing to do with me!" Seto popped Yoshi's proverbial balloon. "Let's get out of the sun."

"Good idea!" Yoshi agreed jovially. "I know a place not far from here!"

As they drove to the deli Yoshi had suggested, Seto had little time to dwell upon what had just happened before his friend showed up. Seto was immensely satisfied that he put a finish to the dating service disaster, but was feeling a queer sensation due to seeing Amelda that he could not figure out. The sensation itself didn't bother him, but the fact that he could not name it did.

"Is something bothering you?" Yoshi asked keenly through a mouthful of tuna salad. They were sitting in the shade of a large umbrella outside the deli. "You haven't heard a word I've said - have you, Seto?"

"I'm sorry, Yoshi," Seto apologized. "I'm just feeling uncharacteristically 'out-of-it' today." He glanced down at his sandwich. He had only taken a few bites. Seto picked it up and took the largest bite he could, hoping this would delay more uncomfortable answers to awkward questions.

"You miss Mokuba, don't you?" Yoshi asked kindly. He was the second person after Yugi to come by and offer help when the news went public.

"Un…" (7) Seto affirmed through a mouthful of deli. He did miss Mokuba; it ate at his guts like a parasite.

"Don't worry," Yoshi said. "He's a bright kid. He's probably somewhere safe and sound, ready to come back at the end of the month." Yoshi was the only person besides Seto and the police to have read the note. "What you need is a distraction," Yoshi continued.

"I've had enough distractions," Seto acerbically murmured without hesitation, suddenly dentigerous.

Ignoring this, Yoshi asked, "Seto, how would you like to come to Bishonen-ai with me and Yoko?"

_Bishonen-ai? _Seto knew this to be Yoshi's favorite hot-spot. He and his wife, Yoko, went there on a regular basis. Yoshi, being bisexual, ranted and raved about it every other week. "I'm not gay," Seto answered automatically.

"So what!" Yoshi scoffed, "It's not like that! Besides, lots of heterosexual men go there. It's _art_!"

"The way you go on about it sometimes… It doesn't sound like art to me." Seto replied coolly. This shut Yoshi up. Seto took an even bigger bite of his sandwich this time. An image of a fire-monster with a whip of flame burst into Seto's head.

Yoshi was silent for a minute, which gave Seto time to reflect upon his first duel with Amelda. _Why am I thinking about this now? _Seto wondered, completely baffled with himself. _I shouldn't be worried about ducks and Amelda when I should be worried about Mokuba_. Seto swallowed his food painfully; his voice broke with multi-layered emotions, "I sure hope you're right about Mokuba, Yoshi."

"I hope so, too," Yoshi replied dejectedly. "So!" He brightened instantly, clapping and rubbing his hands together, "Will you come to Bishonen-ai with me? The first time is always memorable! You've never been, right?"

"You know I haven't," Seto responded with an impatient edge.

"So you'll go?"

"Why should I indulge in such a trivial thing? It would be a waste of my time," Seto scorned. He was returning to his usual self now. "What do I have to gain by going?"

"What have you to lose by not?" Yoshi inquired suavely.

* * *

**Author's Note**: 

If you're probably wondering why Seto doesn't make the connection that Mokuba might be staying with Amelda, I don't blame you. I'm not a psychiatrist, but here's my unprofessional explanation. Seto is a compartmentalized thinker. It's how he's so good at denying things. Things he doesn't wish to think about get sealed away into his subconscious. Seto can't correlate the two because he doesn't even want to acknowledge Amelda's existence. Harsh, but that's denial.

The other thing you might ask is why doesn't he recognize Mokuba's duffle bag. That's simple. The bag is unremarkable and indistinguishable from other plain looking duffle bags. Chances are, that with such an easily replaceable item, Seto would not have bothered to memorize its appearance.

Please visit my forum, **Ink**, for more information.


	12. Amelda's Mistake

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh; unfortunately my imagination is not reality.

Chapter 12

Bones gave way to jelly. Knees trembled. Hands shook. Amelda felt like he was going to faint. He said a prayer of thanks for not crashing his motorcycle on the rest of the way to the laundromat. He was lucky to be in one piece, although he did not feel as if he were in one piece.

"Are you going to use that machine, pretty boy, or not?" a grumpy old woman asked, nudging him in the side. Amelda turned to look at the economy-size washer he was leaning against.

"Yes," Amelda smiled at the old lady. "I'm sorry if I bothered you." She was taken aback by his politeness. The redhead opened the duffle bag, emptied the contents inside the wash basin, closed the glass door, put the soap in the hole, and fed the coin slot. He stopped and looked at the elderly woman, who was now surveying him carefully.

"Are you alright?" she asked with a note of concern. Amelda smiled again. She reminded him a little of Nana. He nodded. "Ano," she replied thoughtfully, "if you need anything, I'll be over there." She pointed and walked off.

Amelda turned on the machine and watched Mokuba's clothes swish around inside. _How can he be here? _Amelda wondered. _Is it just a coincidence that I should have a moment like that earlier and then see him? _He slumped to the floor, his back pressed against a cold, tiled wall. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Picturing the scene in his mind, images reeled before him. Blur… ducks… Kaiba… Amelda recalled the look upon Kaiba's face. His heart ached with sympathy. _It's my fault. I put him through that stress. _Amelda knew that Kaiba must have been going through a hard time. He wondered if he should tell Mokuba, or better yet - return him to Kaiba now.

_You can't do that_, Amelda reminded himself. _You promised Mokuba… _The redhead could feel his heartbeat finally return to a normal rate. Exquisite pleasure and intense anxiety brought about by his encounter with his love, caused Amelda to feel as if he were torn in two. He could not stop trembling, and his pulse quickened again. He tried controlling his breathing. Tears streamed down his cheeks once again. It was almost unbearable. _Why can't you see that I love you?_

_

* * *

_

How Amelda returned home without crashing seemed like a miracle to him. He had resolved not to breathe a word of what happened to Mokuba. He opened the front door. "Dinner!" Mokuba screamed at him. "I'm starving! You have been gone for hours, Onii-chan!"

Still standing in the doorway, Amelda glanced straight across the room out the kitchen window to the setting sun. "It's not _that _late," he said, feeling sheepish. He had gone out for a drink at a local favorite bar of his after washing the clothes. He had not gone for the alcohol - he detested using drugs as an escape from pain - but for the company. He had needed a distraction. He handed Mokuba the bag full of clean laundry. "Besides…" he continued shakily, annoyed, "you have never actually starved - I starved for two years. Do not exaggerate to me."

Mokuba blinked, realizing his tactlessness. "I'm sorry, Onii-chan," he apologized. "I'm sorry for being such an inhospitable guest. I ruined your oven. I go through your things. I have taken you for granted. I'm sorry. I'll try to be a better…" He wanted to say, "younger brother," but felt that might anger Amelda even further.

Amelda was speechless. His kind face told Mokuba that he was forgiven. The redhead suddenly realized with amazement how much of himself had changed since he and Mokuba first met years ago. He no longer held grudges, even against people who had really wronged him. "Don't worry about it," he replied, thinking it over. "I'm not sorry I took you in with me."

Onii-chan went to make dinner, and Mokuba continued to work on his English essay. The silence was only broken by occasional questions about English or the book to help Mokuba. They ate dinner in silence. Even in the gloom that settled upon them, Mokuba was amazed by the fact that even nearing the end of the third week, his love for Onii-chan's food never waned. After Amelda cleared the plates and washed the dishes, he announced he was going out for the rest of the night. "I'll be back late, so don't wait up for me."

"Where are you going?" Mokuba asked. Usually during the week, Amelda was a diurnal; during the weekend, he was nocturnal. It was an unusual pattern in Mokuba's opinion, but he had accepted it as status quo.

"I'm going on a date," Amelda informed him. "It's nothing serious. Just a few drinks or something… I only just met him today."

"You're going out with a guy you met at the laundromat?" Mokuba asked, incredulous. "I thought you said you had your standards."

"I do," Amelda said softly. "There's nothing wrong with meeting someone at a laundromat, or any other place of public service. You know how they say there are many fish in the sea, right? Problem is that only a small percentage of them are gay." Amelda gave a little smile, "I can't turn up my nose just because of the _place _we meet. And to make the long story short: I met him at the bar, not the laundromat."

"When did you go to the bar today?"

"After the laundry was done," Amelda shut himself in the bedroom before Mokuba could ask another question. A couple minutes later he emerged in a different outfit. Any question Mokuba might have had vanished at the sight of Onii-chan.

"Is that suede?" he asked, feeling Amelda's pants. The redhead nodded. "Is it purple or grey?"

"I can't tell either," Amelda answered. "Ask a woman - they always know."

Mokuba decided not to ask about the rest of the outfit, which included patented leather heeled-boots, his signature gloves, and a see-through shirt. "Trying to make a good first impression?" he asked somberly. He was a little disappointed that Amelda was showing interest in a guy other than his Nii-sama. He was hoping that the pacifist would stay available until Mokuba could enact Plan D.

"First impressions are very important," Amelda said. "Especially with me. I'm very judgmental."

Mokuba said nothing as Amelda left. He turned off the computer in frustration. There was a small part of him that wanted to call up Nii-sama and turn himself in. He felt betrayed by Onii-chan, even though his common sense told him that he was wrong. _Onii-chan has his own life to live_, it told him, _and you're just getting in the way_.

_

* * *

_

Amelda would have ordinarily found the date boring if it were not for the constant distraction of his mind circling back to Kaiba every other moment. Somehow, Amelda had been talked into going to the guy's apartment after their drinks. The place was as messy as his own, but not nearly as crammed. There were RPG board games everywhere, and little figurines used for the games littered the floor. A musky odor of incense lingered in the air. White moonlight streamed through the open blinds, and soft jazz issued from a inexpensive clock radio. Two half drunk cups of espresso sat upon the coffee table. Two young men lay intertwined upon the worn sofa, which wheezed with each slight movement.

"What was your name again?" Amelda asked between kisses in a deeper voice than usual. He had already forgotten his date's name. He felt a little guilty using this young man as a distraction. All he could think about was Kaiba, and what he would like to do to him.

"Ryou," his date replied. Silver eyes looked down intently into liquid sienna, "Is something on your mind?" Ryou asked in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry," Amelda apologized. "I'm just preoccupied. It's been a long day for me."

"Oh…" his date smiled. He was feeling more comfortable with Amelda now. He placed one hand slightly above the crook of Amelda's knee, rubbing it timidly. "I like your pants," Ryou complimented, smiling cutely and blushing.

The redhead's cheshire-cat smile widened sadistically. "Then you'll like this even better!" He moved down, kissing Ryou's warm skin as he unbuttoned his shirt. But he did not stop there.

Three minutes later Amelda had his date moaning with pleasure. When he was finished, he moved back up to give Ryou a sticky kiss. A sharp tasting fluid filled Ryou's mouth as Amelda used his tongue nimbly to caress the roof of the mouth and the soft spot under the tongue. "Want more?" Amelda asked with a kinky wink. Ryou's eyes were like that of a trembling doe. He blushed like a rose.

Ryou felt eeriness by the moonlit silver of the redhead's eyes, which gleamed at him mysteriously. He gulped a silent answer, which Amelda took as a "Yes." Ryou found himself swept up into strong arms, carried into his own bedroom, and gently deposited upon his own bed.

A sudden craze surged through Amelda when he pinned down the shrinking violet. He was used to being the dominant one, always in control. He had years of experience up his sleeve, which he commenced demonstrating on his new boy toy. Ryou's mind swirled with endorphins as his skin heated under Amelda's touch. The redhead was about to take them to home base when suddenly he felt pain cut through his chest like a knife. Amelda cried out, surprised.

"Are you okay?" Ryou asked, shocked. Amelda clutched his chest, bewildered. Guilt was burning away in his guts like acid. He hated himself for turning his back on his principles. He shook his head in reply. "Do you need medicine?" Ryou asked in a terrified whisper.

"No," Amelda gasped. "I'm sorry, Ryou. I don't think I can go through with this."

Confusion etched upon the pale face. "But you were going to be the one to… How can _you_ not be okay with that?" Ryou was under the impression this man was sexy and indestructive. He had not seen Amelda's arms; the gloves were still on.

"I'm sorry," Amelda apologized again. "Sex used to be about pleasure and control for me. Now… it's about love. I thought I could have just one more one-night-stand, but I was wrong." Amelda admitted sadly. "I'm sorry."

Ryou blinked. He felt a little silly being informed he was just a one-night-stand, but he also felt like he should have known better. "It's okay…" he said slowly. He looked away, unsure of how to respond properly.

Suddenly, Amelda wanted to be anywhere but where he was. "I'm sorry," he said, hurriedly taking off the condom, grabbing his clothes, and dressing at top speed. "But I don't think this can work out for us." Amelda left as quickly as he could, leaving a half drunk cup of espresso and a very sad Ryou Bakura behind.

When Amelda arrived home for the second time, he found all the lights turned off. He crept into his bedroom as quietly as he could, noting the darkness and the lumpy shape that was fast asleep. He pulled off his boots and changed into his Bedtime Bear (17) pajamas, soundless as the flight of an owl. (A/N) He slipped into bed, glancing at Mokuba one last time before closing his eyes. He was so drained, he fell asleep instantly.

_

* * *

_

"Onii-chan!" Mokuba shook Amelda awake. "Come look at this!" He scampered out of the bedroom.

Amelda spat out a mouthful of pillow as silver eyes snapped opened. _Morning already? _he wondered. He felt like it was only a minute ago he went to sleep. Being a light sleeper, he was instantly alert. It did not matter if he felt like he had not rested, with the exception of Mondays. He got up, not bothering with slippers or a robe, and went into the living room. Mokuba sat at the desk - the computer monitor glowed on some web page. "What is it?" the redhead asked.

"I got three emails: one telling me my account with the dating service has been terminated and two emails back from the ladies I set up with Nii-sama," Mokuba informed him with a heavy air. "I sent them both emails asking what they thought of the date. The second lady I set him up with seems to know that we are not the same person, and Vivian apologized for following "me" to Yugi's house!"

Amelda closed his eyes, wishing he was still asleep. His head hurt from trying to compute all this information in one swallow. "How does the second lady know that you two are not the same person?" Amelda asked, forgetting that the first lady had figured it out, also.

"I don't know," Mokuba said. "I thought she was dumb, but she said she figured it out on her own. The first blind date knew because Nii-sama had convinced her so."

"Why would you match your brother with a dumb woman?"

"There was a picture with her profile," Mokuba spluttered, blushing. "She was sexy."

"You chose beauty over brains?" Amelda asked rhetorically, giving Mokuba a stern look. The latter glanced away guiltily, knowing he had been foolish. "_Why_…" Amelda inquired, prickling with envy, "did Kaiba go to Yugi's house? Yugi is not gay, is he?"

"Yugi?" Mokuba laughed. "Not hardly - he's madly in love with Anzu! He told me the last time I stopped by Kame Game that he was saving his money so he could move to America just to be with her. As for _why_ my nii-sama went to his place, maybe he is just looking for me."

"That makes sense," Amelda muttered. He felt like an idiot, jumping to conclusions just because of how he felt about Kaiba. "So Plan C has ended? You've been terminated?" Amelda did not bother to hide his smile of approval, which Mokuba noticed.

"Yeah…" he said, feeling ambivalent. He was disappointed that his plans did not seem to be working so far, but happy that Onii-chan still retained interest in Nii-sama. "How did your date go last night?" Mokuba asked, remembering his frustrations of the night before.

Amelda looked startled. He had already forgotten about Ryou. "He was not my type," he replied. "Too easy to manipulate, I believe… That would be too tempting for my sadistic side. I need someone with a backbone." Mokuba grinned in agreement.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I could have put this in the reference section, but what the hell. Despite how the movie industry may portray this, an owl's wings do not make an audible sound to the human ear when they take flight. They are designed that way to better catch a mouse, lemming, or whatever prey they're after. So, if and when you hear Hedwig flapping her wings in Harry Potter, (1) or any other owl in any other movie, that sound is dubbed. There should be no "flapping" sound.

The idea of Yugi following Anzu to New York is not an original idea. I got this idea on my own, but I'm sure others have thought of it, too. It fits very well with canon. If you have this story line, I'm not trying to rip you off. My cousin, whose pen name is Una Morgan, wrote a story called, "America - the Next Adventure." Look in my favorite authors section It has Yugi moving to America, dealing with culture shock, romance, and another Yu-Gi-Oh style adventure!


	13. Seto's Third Lesson

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Doe - a deer - a female deer; ray - a drop of golden sun; me - I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh; but writing fanfic is so much fun!

Chapter 13

Songbirds were singing in the trees and from their perches on telephone wires, calling to their mates, warning competition to stay away, and catching up on the latest neighborhood gossip. With all the racket they were making in the wee hours before sunrise, anyone who was unaccustomed to being awake at this forsaken hour would wonder how they ever slept through it. Golden light tinted the horizon and stars winked out of sight; the impending sun was rising and the birds chirruped louder still. A tall brunette in a lurid orange jogging suit went unnoticed by the feathered busybodies. He jogged along the street, passing parked cars and the paper boy on his morning route.

Seto wore orange because he had too many near misses with irresponsible drivers. Wearing cool dark colors in the obscurity of twilight was asking to get hit by a car. For someone who placed an exceedingly high value on his image, he did not mind anymore about his appearance - he valued his life over fashion. Seto worked out for two reasons: to maintain his sculptured body and to keep his heart healthy. His physician told him that with the amount of stress that was placed on him during his grueling work hours, he should find some way of releasing that stress in an positive, productive way. The adrenaline rush and the rhythmic breathing rejuvenated him for the rest of the day. Jogging killed two birds with one stone.

He also was completely alone. Aside from the bad drivers and the few nutcases who got up this early to walk their dogs or deliver the newspaper, he did not meet or stop to talk to anyone. He forced himself not to think about work; otherwise, the whole activity would be self-negating. This was his only "me" time. No Kaiba Corp, no media, no stress…

But as Seto's feet pounded pavement, his mind buzzed like a beehive. _Amelda_, he wondered. _Why are you here? I thought you went back to Europe. I thought I would never have to see you again_. Seto barely noticed where his feet went; they traveled on their own accord, tracing out the familiar worn path. _Why did I have to see you again?_

Sweat beads dampened his short brown hair, and his bangs fell into his eyes. The chill of the dawn caused his breath to fog out before him as he jogged. He did not stop. He reached the halfway point of the loop he trekked out each morning and continued on to home. When he thought of Amelda, he could not think of anything else (not even Mokuba). His mind replayed the brief scene again for the hundredth time. A motorcyclist roaring out of nowhere coming to a screeching halt to let a family of ducks cross the road. _That is something Amelda would do_, Seto thought. _It must have been him_.

That day, after having lunch with Yoshi, Seto had tried to convince himself that it was not Amelda, but someone who shared his sense of style. But Seto knew in his heart that this was not true. It irked Seto to no end that he could not stop thinking of the redheaded pacifist. Seto rarely ever felt sympathy for people, much less his opponent in a duel. His mind went back to the final part of their second duel.

_"You really are like a lost dog," Seto said with a trace of pity. He felt Amelda's pain. He did not know what he would do if he ever lost Mokuba. He feared he would become just as deranged as the psycho he faced._

_"You said if you were me you would save your brother," Amelda said. "Are you sure you could do it?"_

_"Sure." Seto replied in total confidence. He was not going to let Mokuba die!_

_"Don't talk nonsense!" Amelda exclaimed disbelievingly. "I have three monsters. Before the plane crashes, how are you going to defeat me and save Mokuba?"_

_"Just carry on, Amelda," Seto affirmed forcefully, clenching a fist. He knew in his heart that he had the power. "I won't let Mokuba die; I'll end this duel in the next round."_

_"Can you make it?" Amelda asked. Seto knew that he would draw the card he needed. "Just show me…" Amelda spread his arms open in invitation. "It's your turn now."_

Seto could recall with vivid detail the swirling clouds, the smooth contour of the top of the plane, the power in his deck, and the voice of his opponent. Seto could not help but wonder, _Why did you let me win? Is it because you did not believe I would, or because you wanted me to win? _Seto felt that he knew the answer, thinking about how Amelda had reacted when he lost. _The guy complemented me! He was going to lose his soul and he complemented me!_ Seto did not understand this sort of thinking. _Why did you want me to win? _

Seto stopped to think about the moment before he drew the Fang of Critius in his duel against Dartz. He remembered looking at the tablet that displayed Amelda's image, his soul trapped as food for the great beast. He remembered thinking of how Amelda had entrusted him with the future, and the thought of failure had brought an intense pain to his heart. He could not bear to lose the duel, not just to save his company, but Amelda as well. He did not feel that Amelda deserved the injustice forced upon him by Dartz. He wanted to destroy Dartz for Amelda's sake. _Why do I care so much about the guy?_

Seto felt that Amelda could be summed up into two words: Beautiful and Tragic. _This is not the reason I wanted to help him. But what was?_

Again and again the questions circled around inside his head. Again and again he did not know the answers. He jogged on. His shadow stretched out before him, cast by the now risen sun behind him. The birds were as noisy as ever. But Seto's mind was still trying to sort out his feelings. He was confused more than anything. Earlier in the morning, he had woken up to find a surprise in his bed. He had attributed the nocturnal emission to Mokuba's insistence that he should start thinking about having a relationship. _What had I been dreaming about? _Seto wondered. He did not set much store by dreams. He suspected that Amelda's reappearance was to blame, since that is when they started. He denied the obvious correlation, so he had to ask himself: _Where does this passion come from?_

As he rounded the corner, the familiar view of his mansion came into sight. He was relieved to be able to get inside and take a hot shower before preparing for work. He pushed all thoughts of Amelda to the back of his mind. He planned on going to one of Mokuba's favorite hangout spots after work, to see if there was any leads there. He sighed. It was a long shot, and Mokuba was supposed to be returning in a week. He felt a weight press down upon his chest. _Perhaps a distraction is what I need_, Seto thought as he remembered Yoshi's invitation. _Tomorrow night I'll go to Bishonen-ai and not have to think about Amelda._

_

* * *

_

"Why is no one here?" a young lady asked as she walked in to the game store.

"I don't know why, Becky," the store owner replied. "Black Clown usually does pretty well on a Friday during the summer. Did you just get off work?" She was wearing a crisp white lab coat over a red blouse and black slacks. She nudged her glasses up to the bridge of her nose and gave him a wink.

"Yes," Rebecca said. "We did not have much to do today. The solar weather has been pretty inactive lately, due to the sun being in the recessive part of the sunspot cycle."

"Oh…" was all the man replied. Science was over his head. "So, you came to bug me, huh?"

"Ryuji, darling," Rebecca teased, "I just can't get enough of you!" She tugged his long black hair, which was worn down in a loose braid. "What happened to your wardrobe?" she asked.

"I decided to go for a more casual look," Otogi replied. "I got tired of wearing the old outfit all the time." He plucked at his button-down black shirt. "Why? You don't like it?"

"You look like a Calvin Klein model," (13) Rebecca answered. "It's pretty sexy."

Otogi blushed beet red. He was about to try and change the subject but was saved by the bell. Above the front door a bell jingled, heralding an entering patron. Seto Kaiba came striding over to them as if he visited Black Clown on a regular basis. To Otogi's recollection, the CEO had never before stepped foot in his humble establishment.

"Kaiba-kun!" Otogi said, surprised. "What can I do for you today?"

Cold blue eyes met hot green ones. "I'm looking for Mokuba," Seto responded. He glanced at Rebecca, but made no comment.

"Yeah… I've seen the news reports," Otogi murmured. "He's been gone for almost a month now, hasn't he? How are you doing, Kaiba-kun?"

"Lousy," Seto spat. "Is he here?"

"Mokuba-kun? No. I have no idea where he is. Jonouchi, Yugi, and Honda have been checking all of Mokuba's favorite haunts," Otogi informed. "But no such luck so far. Jonouchi says that Mokuba intends to return before the end of the month, right? That's less than a week from now!"

"I don't want to wait another week," Seto scorned. "I want him back now! I wanted him back three weeks ago!"

"I'm sorry, Kaiba-kun," Otogi said softly, "but I don't know what to tell you."

The CEO had figured that this would probably be a dead end. But he had decided that it was worth investigating if there was one small chance that Mokuba might be here. Seto knew that Mokuba sometimes visited Black Clown to play DDM or Capsule Monsters with the Dice Master, and he thought that maybe Mokuba might be hiding out here. Seto glanced around for a distraction. He looked at Rebecca again. She was a lot taller than he remembered - and curvier. Her hair was cropped short and she wore high heels, but the glasses were the same. "What happened to you?" he asked.

Rebecca was taken aback by the question, "What do you mean?"

"The last time I saw you was KC Grand Prix," Seto explained. "You were a runt then."

Rebecca snapped her fingers in front of Seto in an annoying American fashion, "Time has passed, Kaiba. I've grown up! Get with the program." Seto was immediately irritated.

"You're still only sixteen, Becky," Otogi interjected.

"…with a PhD!" Rebecca added proudly.

"Do you work?" Seto asked, noting the lab coat.

"YES!" Rebecca over-defended. "Why do you think I'm here in Japan?"

"I thought it was to be with me!" Otogi teased in a offhand voice.

"Go fry ice, Ryuji!" Rebecca snapped. She blushed and mumbled a quick apology. Otogi nodded; he was used to her pubescent mood swings. She turned to Seto, brightening instantly. "I have a career at the Kamiokande Dome!" (16) Rebecca informed smugly. She smirked as if this was the most elite job in the world.

"That's impressive," Seto replied truthfully. "But you should be working for me." Seto remembered how well the genius brat was able to hack the computer security codes.

"We can't all be bought for the 'right price,' Kaiba," Rebecca replied, pushing her slipping glasses up the bridge of her nose and winking. Seto smiled, appreciating her confident attitude. She reminded him of himself.

"Why did Mokuba run away?" Otogi asked, trying to remind Rebecca that he was still there. "Jonouchi told Yugi why, but he wouldn't tell me."

Seto was pleased that Jonouchi kept his word. "Mokuba has no respect for me," he answered. Otogi looked surprised by this.

"What?" Otogi said, "That's not the way I remember him. Are you sure it's not the other way around, Kaiba-kun?"

Seto glared at him. "Why should I fear my own brother?" he scowled.

"Okay…" Rebecca said, preparing herself for a lecture, "There are two things wrong with that statement."

"Yeah," Otogi agreed. "If you assume respect is fear, why should your brother fear you?"

"And respect is not fear," Rebecca scolded. "I don't know about the origin of Japanese words, but in English the word _respect_ comes from the word _respicere_, which means _to look at_. To respect someone is to see them as they are and admire them as they are. Fear comes from that which we don't understand. You can't respect someone if you fear them, because it shows that you don't really see them as they are. Fear is darkness; respect is light."

"They're complete opposites," Otogi finished for Rebecca. She gave him the look that said _I was going to say that!_

For a moment, Seto did not know what to think, much less how to respond. He exercised his neutral expression while thinking it over. "Then, by your definition of _respect_," Seto stated, "what I said the first time was correct: Mokuba has no respect for me. He does not see me as I am. I _enjoy _working at Kaiba Corp! I'm satisfied with my success." He paused, realizing that he learned something from all this. _Fear and respect are not the same thing_, he mused with clairvoyance. _I want people to respect me as a great duelist and as a powerful businessman, but I want them to fear what I could do to them! Therein lies the unknown. Only an ignoramus would dare double-cross me!_

He decided it was superfluous to stay any longer and turned to go. "Let me know if you find Mokuba," he stopped at the door on his way out. "If you do, then maybe you can teach him the difference as well."


	14. Bishonen'ai

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me, myself, and I. But Yoshi and Yoko Kiyosaki are my original characters. Do not use without permission.

Chapter 14

"Wow! Seto Kaiba wearing an all-black Armani suit? (13) I never thought I would see the day!" Yoko teased as Seto approached the Kiyosakis. She often spoke her mind with even less tact than her husband.

"You said to dress formal," Seto reminded her. The lukewarm air felt lovely as a breeze swept by with a hint of jasmine in the summer night. Seto was relieved to find Yoshi and Yoko so easily. There was a crowd standing in a long line dressed like they were going to the Oscars. (1) Yoshi stood beside his wife. Because he was just a foot shorter than her, his head barely reached the top of her bare shoulders. "You look nice," Seto politely returned to Yoko.

"Thank you! It's a Versace," (13) she said, pretending to blush with her hands on her cheeks.

_Not that I care_, Seto thought. _Why am I here again? _They stood outside a stately looking building that Seto thought looked like a made-over opera house. The fancy sign above the entrance read in kanji: Bishonen-ai.

Yoshi looked Seto over. "You always have a good eye for style," Yoshi complimented. "I like that white suit you wear with the blue tie."

"Or the dark blue coat with the teal shirt…" Yoko added. "I never would put blue and teal together, but you pull it off well. Are you sure you aren't batting for the other side?" she asked casually.

"Batting for the other side? What are you talking about?" Seto was perplexed.

"Gay," she said with a cute smile. "Yoshi bats for both sides."

"Yeah," Yoshi grinned, "but I retired when I married." He laughed at his own joke.

"You can't be serious," Seto told Yoko heatedly. "Yoshi has already asked a dozen times, and I've told him a dozen times _no_."

"Okay," Yoko chirruped. "You don't need to get defensive."

Seto ignored this last comment. He had been feeling anxious since the day when he saw Amelda. It was only a brief moment, but Seto replayed it again and again in his mind. He had not given the man much thought since he dueled Dartz. Seto remembered how when he was dueling the anachronistic lunatic he wanted to win not just to get his company back, but for revenge for Amelda, too. Amelda had entrusted him with the future, and he did his best to save it. After the whole ordeal was over, Seto had shunted the memory to the dark recesses of his mind, and was easily distracted by Bakura's invitation to Egypt.

Now that Seto had seen the psychotic pacifist again, he found himself waking up to sheets soaked in sweat and other body fluids - just like so many years ago. He knew there was a connection to the state of his bed and actually seeing Amelda again, but he did not permit himself to let it solidify in his consciousness. _Trivial…_

"How long do we have to stand in line?" Seto asked impatiently. He could think of a million other things he could be doing right now. Yoshi went over the seating procedures and the security checks. He had explained it all before, but it was not necessary to repeat since Seto was only being rhetorical.

"Seto, do you think it's too much red?" Yoko interrupted, referring to her cocktail dress.

_You look like you're wearing Dorothy's ruby-slippers in dress form_, (14) Seto thought. Choosing to twist the truth to the ridiculous occasion, he said, "It's suitable for tonight."

"Oh… thank you," she said uncertainly.

The front doors of Bishonen-ai opened, and the line proceeded in a self-restrained orderly fashion. Seto had a good look around as they entered and were checked for cameras and camera phones - since they were prohibited. The foyer looked like a museum with its copious paintings and statues on display. They moved into the auditorium, which was a cross between a regal theater and a modern club. There were rows of semi-circle plush booths with semi-circle glass tables. The woodwork was done in polished black walnut and carved like antique Italian furniture. Each row was raised a slight level above the one preceding it like in a theater and facing the large stage in the front with the classic scarlet curtain. There were chandeliers accenting the vaulted ceiling.

"Alright," Seto said aloud. "I'll admit it: I am impressed. But I still don't want to be here."

"Aren't I your only friend, Seto?" Yoshi asked. "If you can't trust me… forget that! You should trust me!"

Seto chose not to reply to this. Instead, he inquired, "Why are there _shugi-bukuro _here?" noting the fancy envelopes decoratively embellished with silver and gold strings resting in a container at the outer edge of the table. Alongside the shugi-bukuro were little menus that listed wines, spirits, and hors d'oeuvre.

"You put money into them just like you do at weddings! You write the name of the dancer here," Yoshi elaborated, "and the waiters come around and collect them. This is how you show appreciation for your favorite dancer! My favorite is Zen! I give him 100,000 yen for each dance, but he only shows up a few times." Yoshi explained. He paused when a waiter came and took their orders.

"How much do you give the others?" Seto asked once the order was filled. A 100,000 yen was not much to Seto.

"Oh… between ten and fifty thousand," Yoshi replied. "But not to everyone! It depends on how much I like them. I always give something to new dancers or for a new dance routine."

"They redo old dance routines? Doesn't that get boring?"

"Oh no! Old routines are usually 'fillers' in a show. Still, they are pretty good. Some are classics! Zen, for instance, he-"

"Yoshi!" Seto interrupted, "Shut up! I hear you talk about this Zen every time I see you! The only exception is the time we had lunch the other day!"

"There's no need to take that tone with my darling," Yoko said maternally.

Seto felt a twinge of guilt and decided to shut up himself. He was grateful at times to have someone to converse with other than his brother. Mokuba was only thirteen, after all, and it helped Seto to know that there was a mature adult that he could trust.

"Here's a dumpling for my dumpling," Yoshi giggled as he hand-fed his wife once the food and drinks arrived.

"Oiishii," Yoko giggled back, stroking what hair remained on her husband's head. "You know I like dumplings," she cooed. It impressed Seto that they were both still madly in love with each other after 18 years of marriage. It also comforted Seto, though he did not really know why, that Yoko was so understanding of her husband's sexual orientation. For these reasons, he tolerated their irritating mushiness and kept his snarky comments to a bare minimum.

The curtains parted, the lights dimmed, and the show began. Seto started to relax. The bishonen onstage performed a variety of different dances to a variety of different music each with its own light show specially synchronized. Some were free-style dance to ambient music; others were more like the sort of modern dances seen in underground clubs busting moves to everything ranging from disco and hip-hop to gothic and techno. There was even one number that was a ballet. But there was always only one dancer per number. The name and number of an upcoming dance were displayed by a scrolling marquee above the stage. _It's all very well organized_, Seto thought, _and artistic. The dancers must make a lot in commissions_.

"Zen is up next!" Yoshi squealed, hugging his wife and hanging onto Seto's sleeve. The curtains closed on the present dancer when the music faded. They opened again a moment later to reveal a dark stage. The song that started was a mix between mellow-dramatic gothic and techno while the lights slowly increased in luminosity. Zen stood stock still until the first heavy beat and began to dance. Seto was hypnotized. He had never seen anything like it. "He's really flexible…" Seto said aloud in awe, without realizing it.

"You know, I think that is why he's so good," Yoko agreed. "I love the costume. It has to been hand made, of course. It must have taken weeks to put together all those crystals."

_All those crystals? _Seto thought. _They barely cover anything!_

"I like the legs!" Yoshi proclaimed proudly. He turned to Seto, fulfilling his duty as number one fan to a newbie. "The gloves are a trademark. He always wears them."

"Yes, I know," Seto murmured. He immediately recognized the redheaded dancer with elbow-high satin gloves as Amelda. They were not the same gloves as when Seto dueled him. But Seto imagined Amelda to keep a whole drawer full of arm-length gloves and warmers.

Seto started to feel hot and uncomfortable. He shifted his weight a little in his seat and kept his eyes glued to the enchanting rhythms of flesh onstage. He could not look away even if he wanted to. Once the song was over and the curtain closed again, Seto came out of his reverie into shock. _Amelda? Here!_ Seto's mind reeled with flashbacks of his encounters with the pacifist, and tidbits of past dreams snaked their way into consciousness. _No… this can't be happening! Not me…_

As the night wore on and Amelda did not return to the stage, Seto started to sort out mixed emotions. Yoshi had immediately filled his shugi-bukuro when Zen was first announced by the marquee, and now he fidgeted because his favorite did not return.

"Why don't we leave now?" Seto tried to ask as casually as he could. It had taken everything in him to keep a straight face after Amelda's number ended. "We've been here several hours already."

"I always stay until happy hour starts!" Yoshi said. "Here happy hour is when they close the stage at 02:00 and start the porn. Then Bishonen-ai closes at 03:00."

"Porn!" Seto exclaimed, "I thought you said this place was sophisticated?"

"Look around," Yoko said. "It is sophisticated. Besides, this is not porn that you're used to-"

"I don't watch porn!" Seto defended. It was true. He thought it was a waste of time.

"It is considered to be the best of the best," Yoshi finished for his wife.

"Is it gay porn?" Seto asked, before he could stop himself.

"Naturally," Yoshi said, smiling. "But we won't stay to watch it. It's for the drunkards who need another hour to sober up. Bishonen-ai stops serving alcohol at 01:00."

Seto shut up. He decided that he could weather the rest of the night out. He was counting on Zen's reputation for elusiveness. Just as he formulated this plan, the marquee announced _Zen_.

"He's back!" Yoshi squealed again. He hung on Seto's sleeve and hugged his wife, again. The curtain parted to reveal a brightly lit stage of flashing colors and a heavy industrial music began. Amelda was wearing shiny red shorts, matching boots, and gloves. That was not the most remarkable thing about his appearance. He had chains wrapped around his chest and sported them like a belt. Handcuffs tied him to two post and he was blindfolded. When the song kicked in the trick handcuffs broke in the center of their chains and he performed gyrating moves with seductiveness and flare - all while blindfolded! The audience ooed and awed like at a fireworks show.

Yoshi was beside himself. But it was _nothing _compared to what Seto felt. No thoughts of escape entered Seto's brain. There was no room for thought in his head as he gaped open-mouthed, his body filled with tingles and sensations in exponential form. He was hooked, lined, and sunk. Several times Amelda came near the edge of the stage, but never once tripped or fell off.

When the curtains closed, Seto did not move for several minutes. He did not see the next dancer - an immediate replay in his brain had started and overlapped his vision.

"Wow!" Yoko breathed. "That last one was brilliant! And sexy… I've never seen that one before! What did you think, Seto? …Seto?"

"Leave him alone," Yoshi advised sagely. "Let him have his moment."

It took another quarter of an hour before Seto came out of his reverie. He turned to Yoko and Yoshi and resumed conversing with them as if nothing had happened. Things were quite pleasant. The Kiyosakis were wise enough not to say anything right away. But Yoshi could not help himself after a couple more hours. "I wonder if Zen will return tonight," he wondered aloud. It was after midnight now. "His average is only two or three a night. So, if we stick around for the rest of the night," he winked at Seto, "we might get to see him again!"

"I'd rather eat henbane and perform a _hara-kiri _(7) before I see him again!" Seto said vehemently.

Yoko and Yoshi looked shocked by this pronouncement. "Ano," Yoko said, looking at the stage, "you better start sharpening your dagger." Seto involuntarily glanced at the marquee. Sure enough, Zen was returning to the stage for the third time. Yoshi gasped when he recognized the music that started before the curtains parted.

"I love this one!" Yoshi shrieked like a school girl.

A gothic-techno club mix, lots of black leather and straps, and a whip… This was all Seto registered before he was lost in blissful oblivion. He loved the way Amelda smiled as he danced. Complete confidence… he was really enjoying himself up there cracking that whip and dancing his best. He wore a hat that was once popular with heavy metal rock stars in the eighties. And when it fell off (deliberately), Amelda performed a couple of cool moves to retrieve it while indulging his screaming fans with a kinky wink.

The fans had lost themselves with this "classic" as Yoshi had called it. Sophistication dissolved into carnal desire. When it was over all too soon, everyone moaned their disappointment that it had ended, clapped their appreciation, and scrambled to stuff their shugi-bukuro. "Care to contribute?" Yoshi asked, holding an envelope under Seto's nose. He was brought painfully out of his fantasy. He stared at the envelope blankly. Seto had a momentary out-of-body experience. _I am giving Amelda money_, Seto thought. _The man tried to steal my soul, and I'm giving him money_. He put a large amount of bills - cash only was the house-rule - into the shugi-bukuro, and had no regrets when it was collected a few minutes later.

Seto sank back into his seat. He had no idea how he could deny how he felt. He knew what he was thinking. He knew how his body had reacted. He could only think of one thing to do. "Excuse me," he said courteously to Yoshi, "I need to use the men's room."

Yoshi bit his lower lip to keep himself from saying anything. Seto was gone for ten minutes, and Yoko suggested that Yoshi go and check on him. Reluctantly, he got up and went to the men's to find that Seto was leaning over a sink, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Yoshi asked. He was grateful that there was no one else present. Seto was a tough nut to crack as it was.

"I'm fine," Seto replied. He sounded fine.

"Seto," Yoshi began tenderly, "if there is something you would like to tell me, I'll understand."

Seto blinked. He did not look up or respond in any other way. "There's nothing…" he said slowly. "I just needed…"

"…to relieve yourself," Yoshi finished helpfully. Mistake! Seto flushed a deep, crimson red and gave Yoshi the deadliest of glares.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" Seto boomed. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

They exited the restroom in silence and returned to the booth. Even though Seto's face was no longer red, Yoko could tell he was fuming and Yoshi was abashed. The rest of the night was uneventful for Seto - as he did not look at the stage but at a spot on the floor the entire time. Zen did not appear for a fourth time. By the time they left the establishment at 02:00 and were calling it a night, Seto was apparently back to normal as if nothing had happened. But, as they were pulling on car coats and saying good-nights, Yoko spoke up, "Seto, it is okay if you are gay. You can confide in us."

Seto gave her one scathing glare and yelled, "I am not gay!" much louder than he intended, causing other patrons nearby to flinch. And he marched off.

When Seto's retreating back was out of ear-shot, Yoko and Yoshi looked at each other and said simultaneously, "Denial."

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A/N: Reviews please! Thank you very much! 


	15. Deepest Darkness

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh. In case you did not know - I am not Kazuki Takahashi.

Chapter 15

The remainder of the third week passed in ample silence. Amelda had spent more time than usual at Bishonen-ai, training himself for the blindfold routine. It required a lot of patience and practice in knowing just where he was on the stage without the advantage of sight. His employees had called him crazy; they had kept insisting that he would fall off the stage. Amelda had been gone so much that Mokuba had started to complain, so he had spent the whole day on their last Friday with Mokuba, helping him with the finishing touches of his report, cooking whatever his heart desired, and playing lots of cards and board games.

On Saturday night at the end of the show, one of Amelda's waiters had told him that Seto Kaiba was in the audience. Amelda had punched him hard in the head - an automatic reflex of his flash anger. The redhead had been intimidating still in costume with the leather bondage pants and his whip wrapped around his waist. "Zen-sama," the waiter had apologized, "I'm sorry! It's not true!" He had left without an explanation for why his boss got so mad (just glad he had not been fired). Amelda could not see the audience from the stage even when he was not blindfolded, because the brightness of the lights shining in his eyes drowned out the dimly lit auditorium. So, he had no idea if the waiter's claim was true. The redhead had spent the weekend wondering if Kaiba had really been there, if Kaiba was homosexual, and what had he thought of Amelda?

Mokuba spent his last Monday devising Plan E to complement Plan D, while Amelda snoozed the day away. The younger Kaiba brother was determined to keep Onii-chan in his life. Mokuba was beginning to feel caged. He had spent over three weeks so far imprisoned within the tiny apartment. He leaned out the window often, much to Onii-chan's annoyance, wishing that he could be free and have everything his heart desired.

Tuesday arrived in blissful peace. The warm air outside was very enticing, and twice Amelda grabbed Mokuba by the scruff of the neck to pull him away from the window. "Just because your hair is short doesn't mean no one will recognize you," Onii-chan stated.

"I know that!" Mokuba defended. "It's really nice outside. I haven't been out in practically a month!"

Amelda's countenance was that of understanding. He decided since there was little time left, he might as well make it memorable. "I am going to lift the cooking ban," he informed a delighted Mokuba. "I'll teach you a few simple recipes. How would you like that?"

"Like it?" Mokuba exclaimed. "I'd love it!" So, they set about making a few different things, including lunch and dinner for the day. The redhead supervised his pupil closely. Mokuba followed instructions well. A few times Amelda slapped his hands to keep him from sticking his already licked fingers back into the batter of cookie dough they were working with.

"You can lick the bowl and the beaters after you've dolloped out the dough onto the cookie sheet," Onii-chan explained. "Quit doing that!" He slapped Mokuba's hand again as the latter tried to lick the side of his hand that dough had dripped onto. All in all, they were both having a lot of fun.

Wednesday came. The last day of Mokuba's stay was filled with a hushed excitement. Amelda awoke to the sound of stuff falling onto the linoleum floor. "What's going on?" he asked, rushing out to the kitchen.

Mokuba was partially buried under a pile of cookbooks. "I'm looking for something to make," he replied, unperturbed by the mess he made. "I want to try this!" he pointed to a handwritten notebook containing what he correctly assumed were recipes written by Amelda in his native language.

"Sweet breads?" Onii-chan asked, following Mokuba's finger. "You can't even read it. How do you know what it is you want?"

"You can translate it for me!" Mokuba said happily. "Sweet breads? That sounds delicious. Let's try that!" He stood up, scattering the remaining culinary art books around unconcernedly. He set the handwritten cookbook down upon the countertop. While Onii-chan picked up the clutter of books, Mokuba reached into the cupboard to pull out a large, cobalt-blue glass bowl. "Oooh…" Mokuba murmured, impressed by the deep color. "This looks fancy."

"…and expensive," Amelda informed. He commenced organizing the cookbooks onto a nearby shelf. "I only use it to serve food for special occasions - not cooking. Don't drop-" Too late… The beautiful bowl slipped through Mokuba's hands like butter. It bounced once upon the floor and shattered into a thousand pieces upon the second hit. Mokuba looked terrified at Amelda, expecting to see and feel the wrath any moment. The redhead just stared at the floor, disbelievingly. He gulped a couple times and looked into the frightened eyes of the culprit. "Don't move," he warned. "You might cut yourself."

"I'm sorry," Mokuba pleaded. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Onii-chan said kindly. "I know it was an accident. Don't move." He grabbed a fine-bristled hand broom and a dustbin. He proceeded to sweep up the shards upon the floor and dumped the lot into the wastebasket. "Don't move," he cautioned again. He found an old, worn towel, dampened it with water, and used it to wipe up the tiny, splinter-size glass pieces that lay almost unseen on the linoleum. He wiped Mokuba's shoes as well, just to be sure that he would not be spreading them around as he walked. Amelda threw the towel into the trash and let out a sigh of relief.

"Can I move now?" Mokuba asked timidly.

"Yes," Amelda smiled at him. "Don't worry. You're not in trouble." The redhead handed him dry towel. "You dry," he instructed. "I think I should handle all the large dishes from now on." Mokuba was not sure if it was okay to laugh or not. He was equally surprised as he was nervous that Onii-chan did not flare up in anger.

"I'll replace it," Mokuba informed him. Amelda only nodded. Mokuba asked if they could make all the desert breads that Amelda had invented. He wanted to try all sorts of different things, but Onii-chan pointed out that they only had so much flour, eggs, and butter. "Okay…" Mokuba conceded. "We'll only make two. What does this say?"

"Pumpkin."

"And this?"

"Zucchini," Amelda answered. "This is squash, and this is…" he continued on down the list without being needled by Mokuba. "So, which two would you like to try?" Amelda asked once he had finished reading them all.

"Butternut squash and…" Mokuba tapped his finger on his chin, giving himself more time to decide. "…walnut maple. That sounds good. I've never even heard of them before."

A few hours later the small apartment was wafting with enticing aromas, causing Mokuba to drool. They ended up with six loaves total (as each recipe made three). He had managed to eat half a loaf of each kind of desert bread, while Amelda only had a few slices. Onii-chan wrapped up a couple of the uncut loaves, left for several minutes, and came back empty handed.

"What did you do with my bread?" Mokuba inquired hotly when he returned.

"_Your_ bread?" Amelda smirked. "I gave them to the old lady who lives across the hall from me. She's very sweet and always invites me over for sushi and tea." Mokuba grumbled, at a loss for a good argument. "You ate so much I'm not even sure if you can eat your dinner," Onii-chan chided.

It turned out Mokuba's appetite was voracious. He insisted he needed lots of food so he could grow tall. For dinner Mokuba had requested that Onii-chan make him something that was from his homeland. They had spiced lamb, spinach, goat cheese, and a kind of pita bread with _ajvar_. (18) Mokuba had wrinkled his nose at the spinach, but discovered it was prepared in a way that he thought tasted pretty good. Normally at home he refused to eat what he called "green slop," because it had a vinegar taste to it that he did not like. He did not know what this spinach had been prepared with, but he was more determined than ever to have Onii-chan supplant the Kaibas' current chef.

_

* * *

_

Mokuba felt like the last two days were the best two days of the month. When Mokuba went to bed on their last night together he cried himself to sleep. He awoke hours later with a start. Something was wrong. Darkness pressed upon his eyes, and he strained to see in the night. There was no night-light, since Amelda hated them. The window curtains were pulled shut. Mokuba made to get out of bed to open them when he realized what was wrong. Strong arms were holding him tightly, and he could not move. "Onii-chan?" Mokuba called. He received no answer. He hoped it was Amelda who was holding him. It felt that way. The redhead possessed a toned, beautifully sculpted body not just for show, but for strength as well.

It felt odd to Mokuba, who was never once touched by Amelda during the night. The latter did not move much in his sleep, but he did talk a lot in a language the former did not recognize. Mokuba's eyes adjusted to the darkness. He wriggled and twisted around within the embrace to come face-to-face with a sleeping Onii-chan, who tightened his hold on him. "Onii-chan, wake up!" Mokuba called again. _This is weird! _Mokuba thought, _except on Mondays, Onii-chan wakes so easily. Unless…_

"_Moj malen majmun_," Amelda whispered with brotherly love. "_Ja ljubav te_!" His eyes were shut tight.

_Oh cripes, not now! _Mokuba thought. _He's trapped in his mind!_ It scared Mokuba enough to just hear the nightmares, and being held by Amelda during one was going to be even worse! They always started off kind of sweet, like the way Onii-chan was smiling now, and then…

Amelda shuddered. He winced. He started to quiver violently. Tears leaked out from sealed eyes. "Let me go, Onii-chan!" Mokuba smacked him hard across the face to try and wake him, but it was no use. Bombs could go off outside their window and Amelda still would not wake. He started to sob, calling out Miruko's name over and over again - quietly, as if he were searching for him. Then…

"Miruko!" as if he found him. At this point, Mokuba felt his eyeballs were going to pop out he was being squeezed so hard. "_Moj malen majmun… Ja osnivati te_!" Amelda exclaimed happily. Mokuba knew the worst was yet to come. The nightmares came in different varieties, and he was recognizing the pattern of this one. He braced himself. Suddenly, Amelda screamed, "_Ne_!" He started to sob uncontrollably, his anguish unbridled. Writhing with an unseen pain, Amelda screamed out Miruko's name again and again, mixed with "_Žao mi je_," and "_Ja je propustila te_!"

Mokuba was so terrified, he was entranced. He felt as if his hair would catch fire - he was burning hot. He did not move a muscle, waiting for the nightmare to end. There was one last, "_Moj malen majmun…_" and it was over. Onii-chan fell silent, released Mokuba, rolled over onto his stomach, and buried his face in his pillow. Mokuba scrambled out of the bed, breathing heavily, eyes watering, and stared at Onii-chan like he had never seen him before.

Mokuba gasped when the thought hit him, _How would Nii-sama react to something like this?_ Mokuba began to seriously wonder if he should cancel Plan D and E. _Nii-sama can't stand criers. He can't stand this sort of emotional stuff, especially if it's on a nightly basis._ Mokuba was sinking. Mokuba was falling into despair. He felt deeply concerned for Onii-chan, and he missed his Nii-sama so much. _In a few more hours, I'm going to be heading home!_

Mokuba stumbled out of the bedroom. He needed a breath of fresh air. The cool tile of the kitchen floor felt soothing against his hot feet. In a few quick steps, he reached the refrigerator. The bright light inside stung his iris as his pupils contracted to adjust. He found the pitcher of water he was searching for, and poured himself a glass. It went down in three short gulps. Mokuba sighed, releasing the tension. He replaced the pitcher and put the glass on the countertop. Looking out the kitchen window, he could see the brightening horizon of the coming dawn.

He opened the window, letting the cool twilight breeze wash over his hot face. He exhaled his despair. Velvet eyes observed the coming of the sunrise. _Maybe I should not be so selfish_, he thought. _I could end up hurting the both of them. _He only wanted the two of them to get along. Plan D was for that. Plan E was to get Amelda to move in with him and Nii-sama. That was going to be risky. Maybe even too risky.

_I want Nii-sama to have love in his life_, Mokuba reasoned. _It would do him a lot of good. I won't be in that house forever._ He sighed deeply. _Onii-chan needs someone who understands him. Love could be just the thing he needs as well._ Mokuba began to wonder again if there was a small possibility that Nii-sama was gay. _If he is_, Mokuba thought, _I definitely have to try everything possible to bring them together. _

So, Mokuba revised his plan. He was going to wait and see if Nii-sama was definitely not interested in women, but men, and then enact Plan E. He was still going to go with Plan D because he wanted the two of them to at least get along. That way he could still visit Onii-chan when he missed him.

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A/N: If you are wondering about translations, please re-read the beginning of Chapter 1. 


	16. Heart

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not not not own Yu-Gi-Oh. triple negatives one negative

Chapter 16

A majestic snow-capped mountain stood tall and stately among a lordly line of its brethren. This king among giants kept vigil over the luscious green terrain below. The long grasses of the Mongolian steppes swayed in unison with the slightest breeze - to all the world and crystal sky above appearing as a jewel colored sea. A quiet softer than the falling snow whispered no secrets of violent orogenies long ago.

The sun at the peak of its ecliptic illuminated the earth below, bathing all in its brilliant splendor. The low angle of the sun's rays inhibited heat to warm this frozen serenity. Snow was falling lightly from a cloudless sky. The crisp chill and the heavy quiet was enough to steal your breath away. Even the snowflakes were shushed.

Sitting atop the crown of the king was a teeny-weeny snowball. It whispered to the snowflakes and quivered in the slightest breeze. Suddenly, as if the sun were not shining, a light of revelation dawned upon the little snowball. Before it lay a sloping blanket of the purest white. A path was realized! The little snowball quivered again. Excitement! The possibilities were endless!

With the next helpful little breeze the little snowball crept a smidgeon forward. Stuck! Not to worry… another little push will come.

Another push did, and the snowball moved a little further. And a little further… Again and again the little snowball waited patiently for the next breeze; eager to be on its way, but relishing every moment of joy.

Finally! The point of no return…

The little snowball tumbled in ecstasy. Down and down and down the slope it went - gathering momentum with its increasing mass. The joy swelled inside the little snowball to the point of pain. Indescribable happiness filled the enlarging snowball as the world rushed by in all its dazzling glory.

Once it reached the grassy field below and the ground leveled out, the snow boulder came to a slow and peaceful rest. The very large snowball was grateful it survived the trek. It had been worth it!

"This looks like a good home for me," a voice broke the laden silence. A tall lithe figure approached the snowball. Where he came from no one saw, but all knew he had been there all along. "I shall build my home in it and grow unto old age," he stated. This made perfect sense to the snowball, and it became even happier as it tried to make itself look important. "What's your name?" the man asked.

"I do not have a name," the snowball said. "What is your name, sir?"

"Amelda," the man replied casually. The snowball was saddened to see lines of weariness upon the beautiful porcelain face. When Amelda smiled at the snowball it burst with exquisite pain and turned into a ger. (11) Heavy white fabric with intricate blue border patterns flapped in the wind. Amelda stepped inside where he was sheltered from the icy wind. Beautiful fabrics of every color of the rainbow littered the floor and made up the bed.

"Amelda," the ger said, "I am so pleased to meet you. I shall be honored if you were to stay and live inside of me. I shall shelter you, protect you, and you shall grow inside of me."

"Before that can happen," Amelda replied, "you need a name. I shall call you _Heart_, because home is where the heart is."

A fire lit in the stone pit that was in the center of the ger. Heart was thrilled beyond celestial joy. Warmth spread throughout Heart, and Amelda smiled. He removed some of his heavy furs, bundled some of the gorgeous silks from the bed, and laid upon them next to the hearth. Amelda's raspberry colored hair splayed upon a midnight blue embroidered with silver moons and stars. He continued to smile contentedly as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

It seemed to Heart that Amelda had not slept in a thousand years. The lines of weariness began to fade. Warm golden light splashed across his pale features and he looked as if the weight of the world were lifted from upon his shoulders. Heart was overjoyed just to watch its companion rest in peace. So, it did its best not to make a sound.

In the æther above the ger, the sun sank crimson into a black horizon. Stars were unveiled and twinkled merrily at the earth below. A silver crescent followed the sun shortly after sunset. All was dark with only starlight to guide the weary traveler. He was a short being, hunched over as he was from pain and illness. He stumbled every few steps, shook his head at random moments, and muttered dark nothings under his breath nonstop. His furs slipped with every lost footing. He readjusted his cowl and saw before him a ger in the middle of a black sea.

The man wobbled slowly towards the ger. "What can this be?" he wondered aloud. "My love, what can this be? A ger in the middle of nowhere? This cannot be! My love…" He lifted the entrance flap, and admitted himself without invitation. Heart kept quiet but observed the intruder with acute attention. "My love, this cannot be!" the man cried when he saw Amelda.

The redhead did not wake from the noise. Heart was anxious to do something to prevent Amelda from waking. Quietly, it spoke to the intruder, "What is your name? What is your intention?"

"Name?" the man exclaimed in wonderment. "Name? Do we know my name, love? No… I do not have a name." The nameless man sounded delirious to Heart, who was further deepened with anxiety.

"And your intention?" Heart persisted, with baited breath.

"My love, you know my intention…" the nameless man cackled. He walked over to Amelda and kicked him! Amelda's ribs shattered like glass. Amelda lamented in agony. He opened his silvery eyes, looking at the traveler with the face of innocence who could not comprehend violence. Amelda noticed the man's skin was thin and crinkled like calligraphy paper, his eyes burning with an demonic orange light, and a lolling purple tongue dripping saliva down his neck.

The demon walked over to Amelda and knelt beside him. The demon extended a malnourished liver-spotted hand and cupped the pacifist's face. "Now, my love, you shall be set free."

"I am not your love!" Amelda cried. "I don't even know you!"

"I wasn't talking to you!" the demonic man hissed. He gripped the redhead's face until he cried out in pain. A shadow passed through the inside of the ger and the walls began to ripple as if there were a wind howling inside. All went icy cold and the fire blazed higher still. A white light coalesced from an infinite point in space behind the demon.

Amelda looked at the light and it filled him with hope. Heart was going to protect him as it promised. Flames from the fire licked the top of the ger and lashed about the ceiling. The temperature plummeted so that even the demon noticed his breath formed fog - obscuring his vision. Bewildered, he turned around automatically - looking for an answer.

The coalescing white light, brighter than the fire, looked as if a star had burgeoned upon Earth inside the ger. A delicate figure emerged from the light, her hand clenched in a fist over her heart. The light faded as her form became opaque. Her long blue hair whooshed about in anger as she lifted her chin from her chest and opened her eyes. Icy blue sapphires blazed into the demon's orange ones as he gulped at loss for explanation.

"My love, who the hell is this?" the demon asked. "I demand an explanation!"

"I do not answer to you!" the woman's voice was deeper than any man's. It rumbled like thunder. "You, demon, shall be purged from this soul. I shall not permit you to harm the heir to Heart. You have done enough damage as it is. Your time here has ended!" She lifted her nimble hands and covered her face.

The demon laughed maniacally. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! What can you do, meek little flower?" Apparently, the thunderous voice did not impress him. What did impress him was when she transformed in a sudden instant. She became large and scaly, and she filled the whole ger. His eyes widened almost as wide as her wings. Her armor glowed with starlight of a bluish hue; and her head - longer than the demon's body - arranged itself so as to have a good look at the pitiful form of the man below. There was no escape. Large jaws studded with long ivory fangs opened, swooped down in a flash, and swallowed the nameless demon whole. One gulp later, she turned back into her humble form again.

She walked swiftly over to Amelda and knelt beside him. Unlike the demon, her embracing hand was soft and warm to the touch. She placed her right hand upon his forsaken body as her left hand stroked his face. The fire returned to normal size and the warmth was welcomed back. Amelda felt the pain ebb away like a rolling tide and disappear completely.

"There, I have healed your body," she said in a soft, sweet voice. "But to heal your soul will take Time." Her liquid blue eyes were tainted bittersweet. "I know your weariness. Rest now. Time changes all things." She smiled encouragingly, and Amelda sat up.

"Thank you…" Amelda breathed. "Forgive me, I do not understand who you are. What is your name?"

"Heart," she smiled serenely.

_

* * *

_

Then, Seto Kaiba woke up. He was drenched in sweat and utterly bewildered. _What the hell was that about? _he wondered. He reflected upon his past dreams of the redhead, which were usually more erotic and straightforward. He threw back the covers and nimbly stepped out of bed. Walking over to the window, he noted the rising sun. Seto wiped the cold sweat away from his brow, chalking up the nightmare to a subconscious concoction of his anxiety. As he watched the sunrise, he pondered whether his little brother was perhaps peacefully sound asleep or as wide awake with anticipation as he was. Seto wondered just when during the day today Mokuba would be returning. He had already informed those whom it concerned that he would be taking the day off work and staying at home the whole time today.

Yesterday, some of his employees dared to throw him a surprise party in the office, celebrating the last day of Mokuba's absence and his expected return the next day. Cake and ice-cream had been shoved under Seto's nose and balloons wavered around as he glowered suspiciously at his secretary and Isono. Instead of easing Seto's tension, the party had only increased it. He had ducked out early and went home to work in his study.

Seto looked away from the window, wandering an eye about his bedroom for a distraction. Sunlight streamed in from behind him, casting an oblong shadow of himself across the floor. He figured it was time to start the day. He showered, dressed, and woke his chef up to make him an early breakfast. After he finished his tea and the newspaper, he planted himself by the second floor living room window. The living room on the second floor was next to the staircase that led down to the entrance foyer, and there was a bathroom annexed to the room in case nature called. The large bay window provided him with an excellent view of the front lawn and the parabolic drive up to the house.

On the table beside him sat a second cup of tea, a novel, a telephone in case Mokuba called, and his laptop; beside the table was his suitcase full of Duel Monsters cards. Seto was satisfied that these things would help him pass the time as he watched the window for the expected taxi. He never once touched his novel or the cards, the cup of tea was only halfway drunk, and he was too distracted to pay much attention to the work he tried to accomplish on his laptop. The anxiety surmounted unbearably as his eyes kept darting out the window and surveying the ground below.

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A/N: Next chapter: Mokuba returns! Reviews on this chapter _please_! This is what I call my "gopher chapter." If you've ever read Steinbeck's "Cannery Row," you'd know what I'm talking about. 


	17. Plan D

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: (drum roll) I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. (audience claps)

Chapter 17

"Here," Onii-chan said, "Let me do this. You go finish packing." He wrapped the loaves of sweet bread Mokuba had grabbed in tinfoil and stashed them in a paper grocery bag. He knew that Mokuba wanted to take the leftovers home with him. Mokuba went back into the bedroom to hunt for the rest of his clothes, homework, his Nintendo DS lit, and the toiletries he had brought with him. In thirty minutes, the two of them had packed everything into the duffle bag neatly. Due to Amelda's packing skills, there was even room to spare after he placed the bag of bread on top of the soft clothes and zipped the duffle shut.

"Are you ready, kiddo?" Amelda asked soberly. The inevitable day had come. They both had heavy hearts. Neither had spoken a word as Amelda carried Mokuba's stuff downstairs to the redhead's junky old Toyota. A neighbor two floors below gave Mokuba a curious look as they passed on the stairwell. "I hope if he recognizes you he doesn't do something stupid," the redhead muttered to Mokuba out of earshot. Amelda did not feel like being pulled over by the police on this final day. It would just be a horrible ending to the whole affair and very awkward having to explain everything to Kaiba's lawyer.

Mokuba wanted to cry. He did not want to leave. But he wanted his nii-sama back. What he really wanted was the best of both worlds, and for Nii-sama to have learnt his lesson. "I'm afraid my plan hasn't worked at all," Mokuba confessed as they reached the exit to the apartment complex. "I'm afraid that when I go back nothing will have changed. It will have all been in vain."

"Be a little optimistic," Amelda persuaded. He looked at the darkening sky. It wasn't even noon yet and already clouds were rolling in. This dampened Amelda's spirits even further. _Great! _He thought sourly, _It's like something out of a Hitchcock movie!_ (12)

Mokuba looked up, too. "The weather reporter said it would rain today," he murmured apathetically. _I won't let this be a bad omen_, Mokuba thought. _Plan D must not fail!_

_This is a bad omen_, Amelda cursed the sky. _What the hell can I do? I can't keep him; he's not Miruko. _Amelda sighed heavily, _It's going to be lonely without the kid. But a promise is a promise…_

They both got into Amelda's derelict car. They reached the freeway without exchanging a word of conversation. Once or twice the heavy silence was broken by Amelda cursing the clutch under his breath as he shifted gears. Mokuba cried silent tears for part of the way. He spent his time running his fingers through his short hair and watching the gloomy grey clouds roll around in the sky above. A question Mokuba had been longing to ask all month blossomed in his stomach. He had been afraid to ask Onii-chan before, but now after understanding the redhead a little better he knew that it was probably safe to ask - even if he did not receive an answer. "Onii-chan," Mokuba broke the silence timidly. "May I ask you something personal?"

"Yes," Amelda replied without looking over to his passenger. "It isn't like I haven't answered personal questions about myself already." His voice was low and even. It sounded to Mokuba that Onii-chan was going to miss him, too.

"What did it feel like when you used the seal of Oricalchos?" Mokuba asked in one baited breath. Onii-chan looked affronted, he obviously had not been expecting this question.

Amelda took a deep breath before answering, "Painful." He swallowed before elaborating, "The power comes from the darkness within yourself. When you play the seal it enhances the worst memories of your life, the most agonizing emotions, and utilizes them to power the Oricalchos." He shuddered for a second. "You feel all these things in a heightened sense. It can be rage, pride, despair, or any darkness that dwells within you. The power it wields can let you do things that ordinary mortals can't. Your thoughts become reality, and it can be a scary thing…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say, and not daring to look over to Mokuba. The next question he was better prepared to answer.

"When I lost my soul to Pegasus," Mokuba began, "I remember being in a lot of pain. It felt horrible. But the millennium eye and the seal are two different powers. What did it feel like to lose your soul?"

"I felt like my body was literally melting from the inside out," Amelda gasped. "After that, I was completely numb. All the five senses had left me. I suppose that was when I was inside the great beast. The next thing I knew, I woke up in a hospital in California."

"Yeah," Mokuba confirmed. "After you lost that duel, we met up with Yugi and his friends. Before we all went to Florida, Nii-sama had ordered for you and Ryuzaki to be dropped off at the hospital."

"Mokuba…" Amelda hesitated, "how did Kaiba react after I lost my soul? What happened between then and when I was sent to the hospital?"

"Uh…" Mokuba thought back, "he went to the cockpit to keep the plane from crashing. Then, once we landed, he came back to pick you up and carry you out. When he popped open the door, there was Yugi and everyone else. So, not much happened…" Mokuba was a little confused by Amelda's question, wondering what it was he was looking for.

"What do you mean he carried me?" Amelda asked immediately.

"What do you mean 'what do you mean'?" Mokuba queried. "He carried you. I couldn't. You probably weigh as much as Nii-sama does."

"Okay," Amelda replied, smiling. He wanted a good visual image of what Mokuba had told him, and he thought of a better way to rephrase the question, "_How_ did he carry me?"

It was then Mokuba understood. A big smirk splashed across his features. "Oh," he answered jovially, "like a damsel in distress." Amelda glared at him for the use of that particular simile, but grinned in appreciation all the same. The redhead had entertained himself with different scenarios involving that image for the rest of the way to the Kaiba mansion.

The time seemed to have flown. They were at the gates before they realized it. The gathering gloom began to rain upon them. "I guess this is goodbye, kiddo," Amelda choked. He sighed as he gave Mokuba a faint smile and hugged him tightly.

Mokuba looked aghast, "I'm not getting out here!"

"Oh, yes you are!" Amelda replied. "I'm not breaking my pinky promise. I said I would return you, and here you will be returned!"

"I meant not here at the gate!" Mokuba explained. "It's a long walk up the drive. I'll be soaked! I could catch a cold!" Mokuba said in a panicky voice. He had ignited Plan D. He was going to force Nii-sama and Onii-chan to be nice to each other. Even if it meant that they might get bruised and bloodied in the process. He _was _going to get the best of both worlds.

"But…" Amelda felt himself deflating, "But… I don't want to get any closer to Kaiba than I have to! I don't want him to ever know it was me! So…" he said, thinking aloud, "I'll take you up there," he decided, "if you promise you won't tell him it was me!"

"Okay," Mokuba said. It was true. He knew his nii-sama would be watching the window like a hawk on this day. Mokuba would not have to say a word!

They drove up the drive and stopped at the vertex before the front door. Amelda shifted into _Park_, but left the engine on. His nerves were rattling like crazy. He wanted so badly to see Kaiba again, but not like this.

"Will you help me carry my stuff inside?" Mokuba asked in his sweetest voice.

Amelda felt his guts collapse to the bottom of his abdominal cavity. "Are you crazy?" he shrieked, "I'm not going inside! I don't want him to see me!" Too late… Seto was already out the front door striding faster than an enlisted man in boot camp straight at them. He was followed by a dozen or so household servants and assorted flunkies.

Amelda began to panic. "Get out!" he screamed at Mokuba. Mokuba did not move a finger. Amelda made to put the car in _Drive_. Too late…

Seto flung open his door, grabbed him with one hand, and practically strangled Amelda in the attempt to yank him out while he was still buckled.

Mokuba pressed Amelda's release button. The pacifist was hurled onto the soggy grass three meters away. His resolve to fight back departed on swift wings.

Seto was so apoplectic with rage he could not even speak. His temples were turning blue. His cold blue eyes were lit with fury. He was growling like some kind of rabid dog from Hell.

In the few seconds that Seto and Amelda just stared at each other, Mokuba turned off the car engine, unbuckled, extricated himself, and with stiff resolution walked over to them. Just as Seto lunged for the fallen redhead, Mokuba stepped squarely in his path.

Seto stopped dead. Their eyes locked. Seto had _never _seen his brother's face look like this before. It was scary! "Seto, you will not harm my onii-chan," Mokuba spoke without a trace of a threat, but with iron-clad constitution.

Seto fell over in shock. He felt like he just took a wrecking ball to the stomach. His mouth fell open. His throat closed on him. He felt dizzy with pain. Seto's crisp white suit was now covered in mud and grass stains. There were a couple blades of grass in his hair. All dignity had left him. He began to cry. Salty tears mingled with rain on his cheeks, trickling into his gaping mouth. "_Otouto_," (7) he gasped in agony, his eyes fixed on the beloved face of his younger brother.

Mokuba's face softened with sympathy. His velvet eyes welled with tears at the pathetic sight of his older brother. "I still love you, Nii-sama," Mokuba whispered, barely audible over the patter of rainfall. "I only want you to understand that if you really love me, you won't hurt Onii-chan. He has taken excellent care of me all this month. Fed me and protected me. He tried to take me back to you on the very night I ran away. But I got him to agree to my plan by promising him that his debt to us for trying to kill us would be absolved."

Amelda propped himself up onto his elbows shakily. There was some mud on the side of his face and wet grass clung to his clothes. He yearned to make a dash for the car. But like everyone else, he stared at Kaiba, waiting for his reaction. For a moment it looked as though Seto had not heard a word. But when he closed his eyes and mouth, and stood up straight, it became as glaringly obvious as the sun on a cloudless day that Seto understood with full comprehension. There was no denial. There was no anger. Seto walked towards his brother and embraced him. Everyone else standing around simultaneously exhaled a huge sigh of relief. None of the servents were soaked, because they were smart enough to bring umbrellas. Over Mokuba's shoulders, Amelda could see Seto smile. It was a Kodak moment. (10) The Kaiba brothers just stood there in a warm embrace that made the cold rain feel non-existent.

Mokuba returned his brother's smile when Seto finally let go. Then they both looked at Amelda, who was still on the ground. Seto's smile faded as he walked over with slow, heavy steps. His features were inscrutable; Amelda had no idea what he was thinking. For one wild moment, Seto thought, _I want to kiss him_, but quickly stifled it. Due to Seto's expertise, this thought made no trace upon his visage.

Mokuba grinned from ear to ear, shaking with excitement. He could tell that Nii-sama was not angry and that something good might come of this. One of the servants thought he was shaking from the cold, and rushed forward to wrap her sweater around him and usher him underneath her umbrella. At that moment, it stopped raining, but the clouds remained.

Tension! Seto extended a hand without a word or change in expression. Amelda gave it one apprehensive glance and took it. Seto pulled him up to his feet and they both appraised each other's similar state of uncleanliness. Amelda could taste the tension thick as butterscotch. His insides began to squirm. Mokuba's ecstatic smile did not lighten the mood. The mounting tension was broken by Seto first. "Come inside. You can take a shower and warm up while the maids wash your clothes before you leave," his voice was polite and formal, but a little constrained. "It's the least I could do to thank you."

Amelda gulped. _Inside? _His mind raced with tantalizing images and his heart drummed even faster. "Okay," he breathed, unable to think of something more intelligent to say. He let go of Seto's hand when he realized he was still holding it.

Seto's impassive veneer had not altered. He said nothing as he turned and walked to the front door. Most of the servants had already made it inside. Amelda did not move. He watched Mokuba twisting around to give him a triumphant grin before he disappeared behind the doorframe. A finger of sunshine poked its way through the grey clouds, warming up the scene below. At the threshold of the entrance, Seto turned back to observe Amelda when his sixth sense told him the man had not moved.

Amelda looked beautiful to Seto even though he was soaking wet and covered in grass and mud. His silvery grey eyes matched the clouds above, and his hair - darkened with wetness - was the color of deep red wine. Instead of fanning out to frame his beautiful face, it clung to the side of his head like a starfish on a rock. It greatly surprised Seto that the color did not run. It should have trickled down his neck to stain the collar of his shirt. It looked surreal. _What the hell is wrong with me? _Seto thought bitterly. _He's an idiot!_ "Are you coming or not?" Seto shouted nastily.

Amelda looked from Seto to the ground, his head bowed. _This is insane! _he told himself again and again. Shivering, he started walking to the car. Seto thought Amelda was refusing his invitation; so he turned around and walked through the door, closing it behind him. Amelda opened the trunk of the car and pulled out Mokuba's duffle bag, shut the trunk, and proceeded to the door.

When Amelda got there, he found it was locked. _Knock and it shall be opened unto you_, a voice whispered in his head. Amelda smirked at the voice and the sublime sunlight. _Insane… but what have I to lose?_

* * *

_A/N:_ Cliffhanger! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha! Reviews please! Thank you very much! 


	18. The Snowball's Momentum

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. But I would not mind having him for one night… (winks)

Chapter 18

Mokuba sat upon the large, plush couch, waiting. He turned his head to the sound of approaching footsteps. "Well?" he asked expectantly as Amelda neared. "What happened?"

"What are you talking about, kiddo?" Amelda asked in a quiet voice. He sat down next to Mokuba. "You should be telling me. After Kaiba let me inside the house, he took off, saying he had stuff to take care of. I haven't seen him since."

"What?" Mokuba exclaimed. "That's not what's supposed to happen!"

"You seem awfully disappointed about something," the redhead remarked. "What were you expecting to happen?" He was getting suspicious that Mokuba knew how he felt about Seto.

Mokuba elected not to answer. Instead, he asked, "What did you do between the time you took a shower and the time your clothes were laundered?"

"I took a tour around the house, but I still did not run into your brother."

"Please tell me you weren't naked," Mokuba pleaded. He gave Amelda a hopeless expression.

The redhead frowned. "I had a robe on, you little pervert," he defended. "Sheesh!"

"What's _sheesh_?" Mokuba asked. The English expression was lost on him.

"Good," a voice behind the both of them spoke. "They told me you two were here. Now I can talk to you both properly." Seto moved to their front, and he stared at their guilty faces. Mokuba and Amelda gulped simultaneously. It was obvious Seto had showered and changed as well, since he was clean and wore a different outfit. He settled himself comfortably in an armchair across from them. "Tell me everything," he commanded after a very pregnant pause.

Amelda and Mokuba exchanged glances. "You go first," Amelda blurted.

"What?" Mokuba ejaculated. "Onii-chan, you're older - you should go first!"

"This was your fuzz-brained idea, kiddo!"

"And _you_ agreed to it!" Mokuba countered. "You should tell him first."

"No way-"

"Enough!" Seto interrupted. "Mokuba, this was your idea. You go first." Mokuba was very put out but complied nonetheless. Seto listened without interruption. Mokuba was very good with the details. He elaborated Plan A and B, and even moved onto Plan C. "I knew you were behind that!" Seto announced halfway through Mokuba's speech. He looked straight at Mokuba, pretending Amelda was not there. "Why on Earth did you pair me up with those women? They were horrible! Ano, the first one wasn't so bad…"

"How did that go?" Mokuba asked eagerly.

"Don't you remember getting an angry email from her?" Amelda reminded him, joining the conversation. "Wasn't she mad at you for playing her?"

Mokuba looked sideways at him. "I know that, Onii-chan!" he said. "I was just wondering what Nii-sama thought of it."

"I would not want to do it again," Seto spoke up. "But it was not _that_ bad. Like I said - the second two were worse! Did you know that Vivian followed me after I left? I don't need a stalker, Mokuba." Amelda looked away from the both of them, blushing slightly. He had always considered himself a former stalker of Kaiba's. "_Kisama_," (7) Seto pointedly addressed the redhead. "Why is Mokuba's hair cut short?"

Amelda blinked, confused by the sudden change in subject. Mokuba knew it meant his nii-sama was bored with the previous one, and he emboldened himself to answer. "That was my fault, Nii-sama," Mokuba explained. "I ruined Onii-chan's oven."

Now it was Seto's turn to blink in confusion. "You ruined his oven? How?" Amelda was surprised to hear concern in his voice.

"I tried an experiment melting different stuff around the apartment," Mokuba elaborated. "I used Onii-chan's things and the stuff went into burners - ruining it. Onii-chan had to buy himself a new oven! So, as punishment, he cut my hair short."

Seto looked from Mokuba to Amelda then back to the former. "Sounds like you got off lucky," he said in a brotherly voice. He turned back to Amelda. "I don't blame you for what you did. How much do I owe you for the oven?"

Again, Amelda found himself speechless. "How about you take him out to dinner?" Mokuba suggested. "Onii-chan said that's what they do in America to pay back a favor." He was referring to the story Amelda had told him about when he had helped Raphael move into his new house in California. Raphael and his fiancée had paid him back by treating him to a posh dinner.

Amelda found his voice, "That's not necessary, Kaiba. When I took Mokuba in I understood that there were certain… uh… risks involved." He smiled. "It's not a big deal."

"What else happened? Besides the oven, I mean," Seto inquired curiously.

"The little squirt made a huge mess the first time he tried to cook anything, broke my cobalt-glass bowl, was very demanding, and he had the nerve to complain constantly," Amelda replied without hesitation. But he was smiling, "Even through all that, I still love him." Mokuba looked bashfully at his brother to see his reaction.

"You _love_ him?" Seto said slowly. His eyes were fixed into Amelda's. His voice was odd. It was not angry, but it was not impressed, either. Neither Mokuba nor Amelda knew how to interpret it.

"Is that so far-fetched?" Amelda asked softly. "He's a wonderful kid. It was a real blessing to have him."

Seto was stunned by this announcement. It only left the slightest trace upon his visage, and due to Mokuba's experience - he picked up this clue immediately. "Nii-sama," Mokuba said. "Onii-chan has given me the best care you could possibly hope for!" He locked eyes with his brother. "I know you are very angry with me for running away, but you should not hold it against Onii-chan. Remember Nii-sama, I said earlier that he tried to take me back to you; but that I persuaded him to keep me because I promised him that it would make up for his debt to us."

"I remember," Seto replied. He glanced quickly at Amelda, "and I concur with this pact you two have made. However, I am not angry with you, Mokuba."

"What?" Both Amelda and Mokuba exclaimed.

"Perhaps I should rephrase that: I am no longer angry with you," Seto said carefully. The overwhelming relief of having his brother returned drowned out any anger. "Do not ever run away again, Mokuba!"

"Yes, sir," Mokuba submissively replied. "I won't." Tears started to fall from his eyes.

Normally tears annoyed the hell out of Seto, but he was shocked. He thought he had gone easy on his younger brother. "What's wrong?" he asked kindly.

"It would mean the _world_ to me," Mokuba sniffed, trying to be dramatic, "if you and Onii-chan would become friends."

"We will see," Nii-sama said vaguely. Granted, Seto had no objection to this since he was no longer in denial about how he felt about Mokuba's "onii-chan." His experience at Bishonen-ai had slammed the obvious in his face. The following week had given him enough time to accept his sexual orientation and deal with it. Earlier, he had been so enraged to discover that Amelda was the accomplice to Mokuba's insane caper that he could not even think. Now that he had calmed down, he felt a bit giddy. It seemed that opportunity was knocking, and he would be a fool to not answer. He smiled indulgently at Mokuba, who stopped crying instantly.

Amelda had been observing Kaiba's reaction the entire time. He was not sure where this was going, but it sounded as if he could help it along in the direction that was most advantageous to him. "You know, Kaiba, on second thought - dinner is not such a bad idea." Mokuba grinned at him.

Seto merely returned his impassive veneer to him in acknowledgement. "Nii-sama's favorite place to eat is the Bounenkai Restaurant downtown," Mokuba informed Onii-chan happily. "One meal there is definitely worth an oven!"

"_Bounenkai_? (7) What an odd name for a restaurant," Amelda commented. He turned to Mokuba, "I thought I was your favorite cook?"

"He probably just said that to butter you up," (19) Seto remarked.

"Onii-chan is my favorite cook!" Mokuba shot at Seto. "You just wait until you have tried his cooking, Nii-sama! You will think twice about Bounenkai Restaurant!" He turned to Amelda and said in a softer tone, "No, Onii-chan - you misunderstood me. I meant the value of the meal was comparable in _price_ to an oven."

"It's that expensive?" Amelda asked, incredulous any meal could cost so much.

"Ano, not exactly just as expensive as an oven," Mokuba continued. "But after wine and desert, it starts to add up to a comparable amount." Mokuba did not know how much ovens actually cost, but he knew that Bounenkai was the most expensive place in Domino City - and it was Nii-sama's favorite.

"We'll go there," Seto stated confidently. "Let's make it tomorrow night."

"I have work tomorrow night," Amelda replied. Seto stopped being smug for a second; he had forgotten that Amelda would probably not be available on a weekend night.

Mokuba looked disdainful. "Just take the night off, Onii-chan," he suggested. "Sheesh! You're the boss, you don't have to actually go to Bishonen-ai!"

"So you've figured out what _sheesh_ means?" Amelda queried.

"From context…" Mokuba stopped himself to look over at Nii-sama, who was staring straight at him with an odd, closed-expression. "What?" he asked.

"Bishonen-ai?" Seto asked in just above a whisper. The closed-expression had not altered.

"It's this club that Onii-chan owns," Mokuba explained happily, blundering on and not seeing Amelda trying to catch his eye to tell him to shut up. "You've heard Yoshi-san talk about it all the time, Nii-sama! It's…" and his voice dropped dead, suddenly realizing that he had just exposed Onii-chan's sexual orientation before he could determine Nii-sama's. He looked to Amelda for help. The redhead had covered his eyes with his hand in disbelief.

Seto smiled inwardly. "You don't seem to have a problem with Amelda being gay. Do you, Mokuba?" Mokuba shook his head. Seto decided that he would keep this ace up his sleeve and not tell either of them the truth about himself - until the most opportune moment. He turned to Amelda, who peeked at him through a gap in his fingers. "I didn't know you were an entrepreneur," Seto said smoothly. This was true since he had previously just assumed Amelda only _worked_ at Bishonen-ai. _Yoshi is going to be beside himself when I tell him_, Seto thought. "You will have to tell me about it during our dinner. Is tomorrow night all right?" Amelda dropped his hand in surprise.

Mokuba bubbled over with excitement. He quickly excused himself from the room, giggling madly. Seto pretended he did not notice. Amelda felt as if he was in a dream. _Pinch me_, he thought. _This sounds too good to be true! _He swallowed his butterflies. "I can take tomorrow off and get someone to supervise," he replied as casually as he could. "I am the boss, after all."

"Perfect," Seto said suavely. "It's a date, then." Seto stood up. "I'll walk you to the door." Amelda took the hint and followed suit. When they got outside, the redhead looked up and saw Mokuba leaning out a second floor window, waving goodbye. Seto followed Amelda's gaze. "You two have become quite close," he remarked casually as Amelda waved back. Inside he was burning with jealousy. "Perhaps I should have your address and phone number so I can contact you. Mokuba might want to see you again."

"Oh," Amelda reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper and pen. While he was writing his contact information down, using the roof of his car as a ledge, he avoided looking at Seto. The latter took the time to scrutinize the redhead's automobile.

"What is this supposed to be?" Seto scorned.

"Transportation," Amelda smirked. "I got it out of a Cracker Jack Box." (20)

"I would think that with the money you must make from Bishonen-ai you could afford a much nicer car," Seto bemused.

"How would you know?" Amelda inquired, handing the paper to Seto. His interest peaked.

"A friend of mine, Yoshi," Seto diverted, "has told me a lot about it."

Amelda licked the back of his teeth and smiled broadly. "One of my waiters said they saw you there last Saturday night," he confronted.

Seto pretended this was of no importance. "I'm glad it stopped raining," he remarked, looking at the sky. Then he looked straight into Amelda's eyes, which gleamed at him. He said as coolly as possible without breaking eye contact, "There's a Bounenkai Restaurant in Osaka. I'll pick you up at six and we'll go there." And he walked off back into the house, without waiting for an affirmation from Amelda.

Mokuba watched the redhead drive off before going back downstairs to interrogate his brother. "Nii-sama?" he called, finding him in his study. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Seto smiled happily. "It's none of your business. You should get ready for school tomorrow."

"Why do they have to start school on a Friday?" Mokuba whined. "Do I really have to go?"

"Yes, you do have to go," Seto ordained. "It's only an orientation day to reaclimate you, turn in homework, et cetera - nothing you need to stress." He was busy typing on his laptop, which he had put back in its original location: the office desk in his study.

"It's stupid," Mokuba pouted. He slumped in a chair next to his brother, and it hit him. It felt like he had never left home. It was so familiar to be by Nii-sama's side that it was _natural_. The feeling soothed his aches from missing his beloved brother like a healing balm. He was amazed with the revelation. "Nii-sama," he whispered. "I really missed you!" He got up and gave his brother a hug, who stopped typing to hug him in return. "I have to ask you, Nii-sama…" he asked slowly. His face was only inches away. "Did you learn your lesson?"

Seto gave a small laugh. "Mokuba, I believe I've learned more than even you intended." He ran his hands through Mokuba's short hair. "This looks weird on you. But it isn't bad."

"That's what you think," Mokuba grinned and winked. "The girls are going to _love_ it!"


	19. The Date

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I am running out of creative ways to say, "I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh." There - I've said it.

Chapter 19

"You should've seen Mokuba yesterday," Seto said. "Right after you left, he ran around the house shouting, 'Space! Space!'" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I thought he lost his mind or something. Is your apartment really so small?"

Amelda nodded, prickling with dignity. They were half way into their date. Every male in the restaurant wore a tie except Amelda. He had compromised by wearing his church clothes, but he still felt out of place. He was equally impressed and disdained by the extravagance of Bounenkai Restaurant. There were large vases of polished granite containing long branches of pussy-willow and birds of paradise. The granite itself was beautiful; it contained a lot of potassium feldspar and big chunks of biotite mica. A large aquarium housing colorful seahorses stood near them. The walls and carpet were gorgeous hues of blues ranging from periwinkle to a deep midnight. Candlelight made the atmosphere ambient and tranquil. It was perfect for Seto.

"Today he came home," Seto continued, "strutting about as if he'd been made Emperor of Japan!" Seto smirked. "I hate to say it, but it was really cute! I asked him what it was about, and he told me that a number of girls complimented him on his new haircut… and even a few guys."

Amelda smiled. "I was waiting for that. You know, Kaiba-"

"Call me Seto."

"Seto, I think it's time you sit Mokuba down and explain a few facts of life to him."

"What do you mean?"

"Ano, he asked me a bunch of questions, but some I felt were your responsibility to answer. I was as honest as I could be, but I don't feel it's right for me to-"

"What do you mean, 'a few facts of life?'" Seto reiterated. "What are those?"

Amelda blinked. His sadistic smile formed slowly but surely. "Could it be that you've never had a few things explained to you?"

"What 'things?'" Seto asked, losing his patience.

"Don't worry," Amelda said with a sly smile. "I'll teach you. But speaking of Mokuba, I think it's time he learned the difference between boys and girls… and all that it implies." Amelda winked.

The bridge of Seto's nose went pink. Amelda was astonished this glacier could melt. His face filled with delight. "Why, Seto! I didn't know you were so modest!"

Seto cleared his throat. "Some things shouldn't be discussed in public," he stated through gritted teeth. He glanced around to make sure no one had overheard. "Don't talk about _that_ stuff in a restaurant!"

"What? Sex?" The redhead could not help himself. He thought Seto had looked cute when he blushed, and he wanted to see it again. It worked.

"Shut up!" Seto hissed.

Amelda laughed softly. "You _are _modest!" he whispered so only Seto could hear. "I thought Mokuba had been exaggerating." His cheshire-cat smile illuminated his face sadistically. _I'm going to have fun with this! _he thought triumphantly.

Seto was greatly aggravated. He did not want Amelda to think he had found some weakness, so he forced himself not to react anymore to it. He was trying to make him think that there was no fuel for the fire, but the savvy redhead knew better. Amelda also knew to let it go - for now.

_

* * *

_

The iron black waters looked solid under the velvet sky. The stars twinkled overhead, winking at the earth below because they knew what lay for the couple that night. After eating and drinking their fill, Amelda suggested to Seto that they walk it off on the boardwalk by the harbor. "It's only a block away," Amelda had said. Seto agreed good-naturedly, and now he was very glad he had.

The summer air felt as wonderful as it had done on the night he attended Bishonen-ai. The sound of the waves and distant horns of boats were soothing. The waxing moon struck a romantic cord in Seto he never knew he possessed. _I'm going to kiss him_, Seto thought. But he was still waiting for the right moment - whenever that was.

Neither were conversing, but Amelda appeared to be very content. They both enjoyed the night as it was. Amelda stopped to lean against a railing overlooking the glimmering lights of the near-distant harbor. His moonlit eyes seem to see farther than the dark horizon. Seto stood beside him. He was so close he could feel warmth radiating from him.

Amelda straightened himself up. "Sometimes I feel nostalgic at times like these," he stated. "I never saw the ocean until after I became a swordsman of Doom." He tore his eyes away from the water to look at his date. "I know your intentions, Seto."

Seto was shocked. "How can you possibly know?" he asked. He thought he had the ace up his sleeve. _What happened to the opportune moment?_

"I know because I feel the same way," Amelda said quietly. Seto quickly recovered from his shock. His usual veneer upon his countenance disturbed Amelda, who always wore his heart on his sleeve. "You're as eerie as the eye of the storm," Amelda said astutely. "This calm belies the truth of your nature."

"You're more like a storm than I am," Seto commented.

"So what happens when two storms collide?"

"There's only one way to find out," Seto replied. He leaned in, brushing his lips against Amelda's, when suddenly he was filled with panic. _What the hell do I do?_ he wondered. His stomach tied itself into knots. He had never kissed anyone on the mouth before.

It did not matter. Amelda took over, filling Seto's mouth with milk and honey. The panic was swept away in torrents of pleasurable waves. Amelda's touch made him hungry for more. His hands rubbed up around his torso and embraced him. Amelda's soft lips and caressing tongue felt like something he had been thirsting for all his life. He drank the kiss deeply as if it were life saving water in a forsaken desert.

Losing track of time, they kissed passionately for a while until a passing old lady told them to rent a room, to which the snarky redhead replied, "Only if you're paying for it!" She laughed, Seto blushed, and Amelda proposed in a husky voice that they go to his apartment.

When Seto walked in twenty minutes later he was astounded that _this _was the place Mokuba had lived for a month! Amelda gave him time to survey the room while he made tea. Seto took in the teddy-bears, David, the pink bean bag, the chili-lights, and the knife. The last part surprised him the least. "What happened here?" he inquired, indicating the embedded kitchen utensil.

"Oh, this guy wouldn't put out his cigarette," Amelda replied. "So I put it out for him."

"Can't stand smoking?" Seto asked rhetorically. "Mokuba told me that you are adamantly anti-drug."

"Yeah," the redhead said casually. "I've got enough issues as it is." He elected to not elaborate further. "Let's play a game!"

"Huh?" Seto asked. He was still stuck on the reason behind the last statement. "What game? I don't have my cards."

"How about truth Monopoly?" (1) Amelda suggested, digging out the box without waiting for a reply.

"What's that?"

"It's like regular Monopoly but with a twist like a drinking game," he answered. "Every time you land on one of the four corners or to get out of Jail you have to answer a question _truthfully_. It's like the game "Truth or Dare." I leave out the dare part because…" he laughed, "it's just too dangerous with me around."

"Any question?" Seto asked apprehensively. _This could get personal!_

"Yup!"

They sat down on the floor at the short coffee table in front of the couch. The pacifist explained all the rules, and they rolled to see who went first. Seto was banker and Amelda the Real Estate Agent. Two hours into it they were really animated. Tea switched to double espresso shots. Amelda was giggling like mad; even Seto was loosened up. "Advance to Vermont," Amelda read off his Chance card. He moved his little token around Go, collected $200, and bought the last yellow property to complete his monopoly.

"No fair!" Seto protested. "You have three monopolies already and I only have one! You keep ruining mine!"

"Just lucky I guess," Amelda giggled mischievously. "You have the green one - that beats any of mine!"

"I could have had the blue, but you stole Broadway!"

"I did not steal! I simply landed on it and acquired it before you."

"I landed on it first!"

"You were broke!"

The truth was that the redhead wanted to defeat Seto even if it was only a board game. He had played Monopoly ever since he was six years old, and after surpassing his father and his Nana, he had a hard time finding anyone who would play with him until he met his best friends. Varon refused after three games. Raphael only needed two to firmly decide to never play again - with _anyone_. Amelda was simply the best. "Doubles, you have to pay me!"

Seto scowled and handed over the rent. He moved his token again and landed on Just Passing. He looked at Amelda expectantly for the "truth" question.

His date looked thoughtful, fishing around for a good one this time. "Before you were orphaned, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

Seto thought about it, trying to stretch his memory back. He was a little more comfortable now searching through dark corners he had previously pretended did not exist. It helped that Amelda landed on the corners more often than he did - albeit Free Parking. "I think that there were a couple a different things, but the one I remember was the ice cream man."

"You wanted to be the ice cream man?" Amelda asked, incredulous.

"Think about it," Seto said, smiling. "It's the best job in the world when you're a kid."

"True," Amelda replied, chuckling. "My turn." He rolled and landed on Park Place.

"You owe me!" Seto said gleefully. Amelda paid his rent, and Seto rolled - hoping for a ten. He got a nine, again. "Damn! I already own that!" He moved his token nonetheless and handed the dice to Amelda.

The redhead collected his salary as he passed Go again and landed on Mediterranean. He bought it. Seto looked glumly at him. He had the other purple. They rolled a couple more times, moving around the board and exchanging currency. Amelda spoke up. "How about a business deal?" he prompted.

"You can do that?" Seto asked.

"Sure," Amelda said. "I told you about it when I read the rules. I will give you Broadway if you give me $500 and Baltic."

"What?" Seto looked at Amelda like he was crazy. "You want the cheapest property and give me the most expensive one? Are you insane?"

Amelda shrugged. "Call it sentimentality," he said. "I am particularly attached to the purple properties. Besides, the $500 evens it out, and we'll both have monopolies."

Seto smirked. He scrounged for what remaining money he had left. After exchanging the title deeds and the money, Seto only had two dollars left. For the first time since he took over Kaiba Corp, he had been duped in a deal.

"My turn," Amelda said.

"Is it?"

"Yeah, you can only propose a business deal at the start of your turn before you roll. And you can only buy houses before you roll. I'll buy two hotels," Amelda said as he handed back the $500.

"What?" Seto exclaimed.

Amelda showed him the title deed to Baltic. "Fifty bucks a house, five houses to a hotel, times two properties equals 10 houses, which is $500." Seto grumbled as he deposited the money in the bank and handed Amelda two plastic red hotels. His opponent garnished his purple properties with his new acquisition. "The reason they're sentimental," Amelda elaborated, "is because I've bankrupted my opponents with these little beauties!"

Seto looked at the red hotels ominously. He was on Pennsylvania. It would not be long before he landed upon them. "I only have two dollars," he said. "How do I pay for it?"

"You mortgage your property!" Amelda answered joyfully. "I get free rent on anything mortgaged! My turn!" He rolled a twelve (two sixes) and landed on Free Parking. "Alright!" Amelda ejaculated. "My question?"

Seto was still numb from the unfairness of the roll. "Oh… uh… what is your darkest fear?"

"That I'll go insane and kill the one I love," Amelda answered without hesitation. He was dead serious, and Seto gulped at him. "I told you I have issues," Amelda said solemnly. "Doubles - I roll again."

He rolled and got a ten, which landed him in Jail. "Oh, right before I was coming around to the green, too," he said in a mock disappointment. "Next question?"

Seto snarled at him, but calmed down to ask another one, "What is your biggest regret in life?"

"I'm using my one 'No Comment' pass," Amelda stated firmly. They were both allowed one question that they did not have to answer. Seto had already used his when Amelda asked what his favorite sexual fantasy was.

"My turn," Seto muttered. He rolled, passed go, and landed on the first purple. Mortgaged a few properties to pay Amelda. On his second turn, after which Amelda had rolled to try and free himself from Jail, Seto got snake eyes, and landed on the second purple. His face reddened in anger as he mortgaged the last of his property other than the green to pay Amelda for the second time in a row.

The redhead was beside himself. He remained in Jail until the third turn, paid his bail, and landed on the railroad that Seto owned.

Seto looked at the meager earnings in disgust. He looked at all the hotels and houses that the redhead had erected and his lone, unfurnished monopoly. He could not deny the fact he was going to lose. _How can I lose a board game to Amelda? _he admonished himself. "Hurricane!" he shouted, inhaled a deep breath, and blew it out across the board, blowing all the little houses and hotels, money, and cards everywhere! "I win!"

"Seto!" Amelda exclaimed. "If you forfeit-" But he could not get another word out. Seto had swiped the board off the short coffee table, knocking _everything _to the floor; jumped over the table, and landed on Amelda, kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

_

* * *

_

The sun rose a few hours later, bathing the room with the soft light of the dawn. Amelda woke up first. His back ached from sleeping on the floor on top of a little hotel piece. He gingerly rubbed the spot the plastic had indented into. His exposed abdomen was sticky with dried saliva and body fluids. His unbuttoned shirt wrinkled in desperate need of an iron. His bladder throbbed painfully from all the espresso. He got up quickly, knocked Seto over onto his back, ignored the head rush, and ran into the bathroom.

The flush of the toilet woke Seto. For a second, he could not remember where he was or how he had gotten there. He sat up upon the dingy carpet, looked around, and it all flooded back to him. He grinned happily. "That was fun," he said to Amelda as the latter emerged from the bathroom.

"Yeah." Amelda stopped, picking Seto's pants that he was stepping on. "I can sew the buttons back on your shirt if you want," he said, glancing at Seto's shirt that lay draped across David.

"It's alright," Seto said. "No need to trouble yourself. Just throw it away. Next time, take the time to unbutton it instead of ripping it open. You could get expensive."

"Why throw it away?" Amelda asked, incredulous anyone could be so wasteful. "I'll just find the buttons and sew them back on!"

Seto glanced around the messy apartment and then at his new boyfriend. He swallowed. "You can find buttons in _this_?"

Amelda scowled at him. "Then, if you're throwing it away, I'm keeping it for myself!"

"Whatever," Seto murmured. He stood up and retrieved his pants. "Let me borrow one of yours."

"Here," Amelda said, handing him a iridescent blue T-shirt emblazoned with kanji: Bishonen-ai. "You can keep this."

"Thanks," Seto said uncertainly. He never wore T-shirts, but he put it on. It looked pretty sexy with his black slacks. He plucked the form fitting shirt. "Free advertisement?" (A/N)

Amelda rolled his eyes. He was on his knees, hunting for buttons. He was keen to find them. He considered it romantic to have something that was once so close to Seto's skin to be his. "If you want breakfast, there's some eggs in the fridge," Amelda suggested helpfully. He found five out of eight buttons so far.

"Breakfast? What time is it?" Seto looked at his watch and swore loudly. "Mokuba!" He grabbed his remaining possessions quick as lightning. "Goodbye!" he said a minute later at the door. "I'll call you!"

The door closed before Amelda could respond. He stared at the door in silence for a moment. "I found the last button," he said in a depressed voice to the empty room.

* * *

**A/N:** If anyone is willing to do a fanart of this or anything else in this fic, please let me know! Thanks! 


	20. Mokuba, the Mastermind

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I… need… coffee… I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Forget the coffee! I need painkillers!

Chapter 20

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba exclaimed. "It's 09:00! Have you been out all night?" He was sitting on Seto's bed.

"What are you doing in my bedroom?" Seto asked, annoyed.

"I was waiting for you!" Mokuba replied happily, bouncing a little as he spoke. "Cool shirt. Did Onii-chan give you that?"

"Yes." Seto pulled it off and headed straight for the shower. Mokuba followed, not bothering about privacy. "What do you want?" Seto inquired.

"Did you lose your virginity?" Mokuba questioned.

"No." Seto stepped into the shower. "Put my clothes in the hamper, Mokuba," he instructed.

Mokuba complied. He waited outside the bedroom for Seto to emerge fully dressed, clean, and hopefully in a more susceptible mood. Three quarters of an hour later he did. "You were out _all _night," Mokuba reasoned. "That can only mean one thing, Nii-sama!"

"Only in your perverted little mind," Seto replied casually. Instead of being annoyed with Mokuba, he was enjoying the attention. Exercising his neutral expression, Mokuba could only tell that Nii-sama was not angry. He trailed after his older brother like a shadow.

Seto walked into his study, called his secretary to inform her that he would be coming into work late, and sat down at his desk to take care of a few things. Mokuba stood beside him patiently. Seto could handle the silent inquisition better than anyone.

Mokuba lost his patience after five minutes. "If you didn't have sex, what did you do?"

"What makes you think I'm gay?" Seto asked.

Mokuba was dumbstruck. "But…" he stammered. "But you went on a date! And Amelda _is _gay!"

"I know _he's _gay," Seto replied softly, "but it doesn't mean that I am. You should give me better evidence than that." Mokuba's shoulders slumped as he leaned against the desk. Seto was surprised to see disappointment written all over his features. He finished his tasks, turned off his laptop, and stood up facing his younger brother. "I am only trying to teach you to not jump to conclusions so readily," Seto reassured. "I don't understand why it's so important to you that Amelda and I be a couple; but you get your wish - we are."

Mokuba was ecstatic. His eyes widened so that the whites were visible all around the irises. "Really?" he confirmed. "So you _did _lose your virginity!"

"Not yet," Seto answered truthfully.

"Then why the hell were you out all night?"

"You have no imagination," Seto scoffed. "When it becomes your business, I'll let you know."

_

* * *

_

Two days later, Seto arrived at his office, ready for the day's work. He found himself distracted, reminiscing about his date with Amelda. He realized that he was going to have to make some decisions concerning his intentions. That is after he decided what his intentions really were.

After two board meetings and five cups of tea, he had his intentions clearly outlined. He wanted to put to good use everything he had learned about love while Mokuba was gone. Although it was a lot of fun, he was not completely satisfied with the fooling around he had done at the end of their date. He wanted to get to know Amelda intimately. What did not surprise him was that he was willing to be with Amelda as long as it was possible. He had no intention of just using the redhead to satisfy a need. Amelda was not a temporary fix, and Seto never did anything half-assed.

Isono came and went, running around, doing Seto-sama's bidding. The secretary typed away important letters, memos, and whatever else the CEO needed to be typed, answered most of the incoming calls, and greeted all incoming clients who had business. "Kaiba-sama," she called over the intercom just before lunch. "There is a journalist here who insist on speaking with you."

"Send him to the Media Interface Department," Seto replied. "He can talk to my representative. You know the procedure."

"He says he has already been there, and that MID sent him here," she answered.

_He's got to be lying_, Seto thought. _MID wouldn't do that without authorization from me first. _The phone rang on another line, and Seto asked his secretary to hold as he answered, "_Moshi-moshi_." (7)

"Kaiba-sama, this is very important," came the brisk voice of the lady in charge of MID. "I sent a journalist to your office. He has some photos that show that you were on a date with another man. Or so it appears to be…"

_Great! _Seto thought sarcastically. _This is just what I need! _"You could have called me _before _sending him to me!" Seto admonished. "In the future, do not answer any questions concerning my private life. As far as you're concerned, I don't have one! Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" she said and hung up.

Seto slammed the phone down. "Let him in," Seto told his secretary over the speaker phone. _I'll deal with him! _

The journalist entered the office. He did not appear to be more than a few years older than Seto. He was really thin and wirey looking, wore an oversized suit, and his glasses slipped down his nose in further alarm as he approached Seto. He smiled broadly as if they were old friends, and his mannerisms were nervous and hyper.

The CEO did not stand to greet him, nor did he bow in return. His fingers were interlaced as his elbows were proped up on the desk. He sat as still as a stone statue, and his aura was just as cold. He let the silence spiral horribly after the journalist introduced himself, waiting for him to speak.

The man looked at him apprehensively, and whatever small remaining bit of common sense he had told him that he was making a fatal mistake. But his greed overrode this, and he attempted another jovial smile. "Let's get right to the point. Seto Kaiba, I have a proposition for you," he announced. "I saw you the other night with this redheaded bishonen. I happen to know where this young man works, and I'm sure he was more than just "company" or "friends" with you."

Seto did not reply. His cold expression and demeaner did not alter in the slightest. More silence crept by like a shadow, and the journalist was starting to sweat in the chilly atmosphere. The scorpion was still waiting for the so-called "point."

"Ano," the writer said nervously, tugging at his collar, "I have proof of this. I'm sure that the people of Japan might find them interesting. Certainly the people who have a right to know about these things would have… uh… certain opinions."

_He uses the word 'certain' a lot, but he isn't 'certain' himself_, Seto observed. Again, he made no reply. Again, the quiet was suffocating. Icy blue eyes stared fixedly into the journalist, burning a hole right through him.

"Uh…" He rubbed his neck, trying to think of how to coax the impassive glacier into a reaction favorable to his purpose. "Here are the pictures," he said, tossing them down onto the desk. The CEO did not move with the exception of his cold, blue eyes. He scanned them thoroughly. There were a number of pictures of Amelda and himself, but none showed any interactions between them that implied that they were more than platonic.

_If he had real proof, he would have shown me_, Seto thought. _I don't care if he's got copies of these. Anyone with a gram of brain tissue would. But there's nothing incriminating here. _"Is this it?" Seto inquired mildly. "I fail to see your point."

The journalist looked dumbstruck. "There were witnesses! P-people in the restaurant, and on the boardwalk! Besides…" he said in a raised voice. "I saw you kissing him!"

"Really?" Seto said, insouciant. "I don't see a picture. I think you're imagining things."

"Hmph!" he snorted. "We'll see what the people have to say!" And he marched out of the room without the copies of the pictures he had given Seto. As he was leaving, Isono entered.

"Isono," Seto said once the man was out of earshot, "have that guy silenced."

"Yes, sir."

_

* * *

_

Mokuba returned home from school to be surprised. "What are you doing home so early, Nii-sama?"

Seto layed on the couch in the second floor living room, completely exhausted. "My latest project blew up," he muttered. "Five months down the drain…" His voice was strained from all the yelling that had followed said event.

"I'm sorry, Nii-sama," Mokuba replied, unsure of what else to say.

"To make matters worse, I tried calling Amelda," Seto informed. He stared at the ceiling apathetically. His hands rested behind his head.

"But… it's _Monday_…"

"Yeah, now I know," Seto returned bitterly. The CEO closed his eyes, tired.

Mokuba carefully stepped over his nii-sama's boots, which lay beside the couch. He went to the end where his brother's feet where, moved them, and sat down letting Seto lay his feet across his lap. "Onii-chan has a quick temper, but it does not mean that he hates you."

"That's good to know." Seto opened his eyes to look at Mokuba. "What the hell is that on your face?"

"What? This?" Mokuba pointed to the band-aid that adorned his chin. "I nicked myself shaving this morning."

A slow grin stretched across Nii-sama's face. He laughed, despite trying to hold it back. "You mean you went around school all day with _that _on your face?" Seto asked, deeply amused. "You don't need to shave, Mokuba. Why on Earth did you?"

"I do to need to shave! I was going to grow a mustache, but I changed my mind," Mokuba informed. "I heard from my friend, who heard from his girlfriend, who's best friends with the friend of the girl in my calligraphy class that she doesn't like facial hair."

Seto was taken aback by this reason once he could figure it out. "You have a crush on a girl?" He laughed even harder this time.

"It's not funny!" Mokuba yelled. "Just because you're gay doesn't mean I have to be!"

Seto stopped laughing instantly. He looked seriously at his younger brother. He felt a twinge of anger, but brushed it aside. "I know that," he whispered. "I just thought it was funny in a way." Mokuba noticed something in his eyes he had never seen before. "You seem to be growing up before my eyes," Seto said, smiling slightly. "I just can't stop you, can I? I can't treat you as a cute little boy anymore."

Mokuba smiled in return. Now he understood what that look was. "Glad you understand, Nii-sama. I'm a man now. Onii-chan doesn't think so, but I'm glad you do!"

Seto smirked. "So, when are you getting married and moving out?" he teased.

"Ano," Mokuba replied, taking him seriously, "not for another ten years or so."

"So I can't kick you out of the house just yet?"

"No!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Why would you?"

"If I can't kick you out, then you're not a man," Seto answered. "Get my point? I agree with Amelda. And take that ridiculous band-aid off your face! There is no girl here to impress." Mokuba scowled at him but obliged.

Minutes passed in silence as Mokuba relaxed, whiling away time by daydreaming about his crush, giving his brother time to rest. His thoughts were interrupted by Nii-sama's voice breaking the still quiet. "Mokuba, if I were to get Amelda a present, what should I get him?"

"Why do you want to get him a present? Is he that good?" Mokuba asked.

Seto smirked at him. "Ano, that's none of your business. But that's not the reason. You are. I don't feel that the date was an appropriate way to pay him back. I benefited from that, too. I want to give him something selfless."

Mokuba was impressed. _Selfless? _he thought. _He really has changed since I've been gone! My plan worked!_ He thought some more about Plan E. _If Plan B worked, then Plan E will, too!_

Seto glared at him impatiently, demanding an answer with just a look in his eyes.

Mokuba plucked at his brother's socks absentmindedly before replying. He turned to Seto, trying to muster the most serious face he could. "A fake pineapple." And failing miserably, grinning like a madman.

Silence followed this statement. Seto sat up straight and looked at his brother like he was clinically insane. "A _pineapple_? Are you all there, Mokuba? He won't take me seriously if I give him something that pathetic!"

"Not just _any _pineapple, Nii-sama," Mokuba elaborated. "The most realistic-looking fake pineapple you can find! It has to be fake because Onii-chan won't eat it, but it has to look real because Onii-chan thinks they're decorative!"

"You're both insane," Seto mumbled, certain that Mokuba had been corrupted by the psychotic pacifist.

"Will you just trust me, Nii-sama?" Mokuba said. "I am the one who lived with Onii-chan for a month! Trust me - a pineapple is the perfect gift with which you could even persuade him to move in with you if you wanted!"

"Really?" Seto replied. He was still uncertain about the idea. He looked at the huge grin upon Mokuba's face and the light shining in his eyes.

Mokuba could tell he did not have his nii-sama convinced. He resolved to refuse another solution. _The pineapple is the best gift_, he thought. _I can't help it if Onii-chan's weird that way!_

"Is there anything else I should know about Amelda?" Seto asked apprehensively.

"Uh… he's hard working. He's always doing something," Mokuba answered, trying to tip-toe around Amelda's qualities he knew that would annoy Nii-sama. "He's very responsible. And he's passionate!" Mokuba winked at his older brother.

"I already know that," Seto stated softly. "What else?"

Mokuba could think of fifty different things to warn his nii-sama about Onii-chan, but he wanted to put Onii-chan in the best light possible. "And he is the best cook in the world!" Mokuba ejaculated. "If you got him to move in with us, Nii-sama, we could enjoy the best food that can be found on Earth! You have never known the true meaning of oiishii until you've had Onii-chan's cooking!"

Seto snorted. "We already have a professional chef, Mokuba. And I don't think Amelda wants to move in just so he can cook."

"Just _think _about it, Nii-sama," Mokuba persuaded. He got up, knocking Seto's feet to the floor, and walked out of the living room. He walked down the staircase to the first floor living room. He found the large phone book he was looking for, opened it to the Osaka listing, looked up the apartment complex that Onii-chan lived in, and dialed.

* * *

**A/N:** Plan E is now in effect! Bwa ha ha ha! 

_Reviews please_! Thank you very, very much! You guys are reviewing faster than I can keep up! It's a good thing **Mokuba's Plan** is already complete!


	21. The Pineapple

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I don't, have never, and will never own Yu-Gi-Oh. Ano, maybe I shouldn't say "will never." Hee hee…

Chapter 21

"Don't worry about me, Raphael," Amelda reassured. He held his cordless phone up to his ear with his shoulder while trying to duct tape a box shut.

"What about all that money you've saved?" his former co-worker asked. "You said you were going to buy a house with it. If you need anything extra-"

"I know: 'Don't hesitate to ask,'" Amelda finished for him. "I have a week to move out. I'm still looking around, but I found a some potentials over in Domino City that looked really nice."

"I still can't believe you got evicted," Raphael muttered. "Domino City?" His voice filled with caution. "Amelda, don't tell me that you are moving there because of Kaiba."

_Damn that guy! _Amelda thought. _I haven't told him that I'm dating Seto! How does he know me so well?_

"Amelda?" Raphael prompted when the redhead did not respond. "I thought I've told you that he's not responsible for Miruko's death. Don't tell me you've found some excuse to further justify your obsession with him."

"Have all those muscles cut off the circulation to your brain?" Amelda scorned. "I am _not_ obsessed! I'm _in love_! There's a difference!" He dropped the phone as the tape he was using stuck to itself, and he thrashed about trying to pry it apart. "I'm still here!" he proclaimed as he retrieved the cordless.

"It's the duct tape, isn't it?" Raphael astutely predicted.

"You know, sometimes I think you're psychic," Amelda remarked. He cut the wadded tape from the roll and decided to use a fresh piece. "And I'm _not _obsessed! Don't give me that psychoanalytical speel of yours!"

"Something tells me that you've somehow sucked Kaiba back into your life," Raphael stated.

_Psychic! _Amelda confirmed. _I was hoping I could tell Raphael after I've at least had sex with Seto! I fool around too much for my own good. _"Actually," Amelda replied, resigned to confess. "Mokuba was the one who did that."

Silence. "_What_?"

Amelda laughed at Raphael's confusion. "You've seen the news, right? I'm sure they've reported it in America, too."

"About Mokuba running away? Yeah. They also said he came home recently."

"Ano," Amelda whispered conspiratorially, "he ran away to live with me!"

Silence. "What? How did you-"

"Hey! It wasn't my idea! He arranged the whole thing! I took him in and-"

"And Kaiba didn't kill you? Or does he not know?"

"Oh, he knows," Amelda replied mischievously. "He took me out on a date!"

Silence. "I don't know what to do with you sometimes," he said, exasperated. "I should-"

"What? Hop the next flight over the Pacific and spank me?" Amelda laughed.

The redhead could just picture the scowl upon Raphael's face. He heard his wife in the background asking him if everything was alright. "Amelda," he said into the phone, "I got to go now. My daughter wants to say hello."

A cute little voice of someone still learning to speak came over the phone. "Hello, Unkie Amelga," she said.

"Hello Julia!" Amelda said sweetly. "How are you?"

"Me fine," she answered. Amelda could hear Raphael trying to get the phone back. "Bye, Unkie Amelga!" she sang.

"Amelda?" Raphael inquired. "Still there?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I _hate_ packing!" He kicked a box over in frustration.

"Look, we need to make this short," he informed gruffly. "My wife wants… uh… It's time for Julia's nap. What's going on between you and Kaiba?"

"_Seto _and I are boyfriends," Amelda summarized, emphasizing the name use.

There was a vague "Hmm," from Raphael. "Well, keep in touch," he said. "Good-bye for now."

"Bye-bye!" Amelda said, and he hung up. He was glad to not have to cradle the phone with his shoulder any longer. _That went better than I thought. Now I only have to tell Varon. _He could just hear the racious laughter and the endless taunts he knew he was going to receive. He sat down trying to focus and surrounded himself with a load of stuff that he intended to box.

_

* * *

_

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba called. "This package came for you!" He stode into Seto's study, carrying a large box in his arms. "Did you order it online?" he asked as he set the box down on the desk. Across the package was bold, red kanji spelling out, "Fragile! Handle with care!"

"Un," Seto murmured. "Thank you, Mokuba. You can leave it there."

"What's inside?" he asked nosily.

Seto smirked in reply. "I would have thought that was obvious." Mokuba's face lit up when he figured it out. He grinned. "Once I'm done here I'm going to go give this to Amelda" Seto informed. "Finish your homework while I'm gone. Don't waste time on video games!"

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Nii-sama," he said. "I'll get it done. Just get this over to Onii-chan's!" He patted the package. "Good luck!"

_

* * *

_

Someone was knocking at his door. Amelda cursed, trying to extricate himself from the messy pile he had been sorting through. He fumbled with the strand of chili-lights to no avail. The impatient visitor knocked louder and more persistent. "I'm coming!" Amelda shouted. He freed himself from the pile, but the lights were still wrapped around his topless torso. He opened the door. "Seto?"

His new boyfriend looked him over and smirked. "What's going on?" Seto asked mildly. He stepped inside the apartment, took one look around at the multitude of boxes and stuff scattered everywhere, and gasped. He turned to Amelda, eyes full of question.

"I'm moving," Amelda said with a sinking heart. "I got evicted yesterday. My landlord found out that not only am I gay, but that I run a "lewd" business. Honestly! There should be more rights to protect people from discrimination!" (22)

"Japan still has a long way to go before gays are treated with the rights they deserve," Seto muttered. "And Bishonen-ai isn't lewd."

"He said that's just what he was told!" Amelda hissed cattily. "Which means someone tipped him off! When I found out who…" Amelda made a gesture of strangling someone. "…until their head pops off!" The redhead suddenly noticed the large box Seto was holding. "What's that?"

Seto looked down at it. "Ano, I decided to buy you a present," he answered. "I just wanted to thank you again for taking care of Mokuba."

"The date wasn't enough?"

Seto shrugged. "It was a date. I kind of feel that it isn't the proper way to thank you. I wanted you to have this." He handed the box to Amelda.

"Did you wrap this?" Amelda asked. He was impressed. The paper was very pretty and the ribbons decorative.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's very nice."

"Then yes - I wrapped it," Seto replied in a joking voice. Amelda snorted with a small laugh. He knew Seto had the maid wrap the present for him. There was no way Seto would know how, and the testosterone in him would not care.

"It's so pretty I almost don't want to unwrap it," Amelda whispered. "But I like presents!" And he promptly tore the package apart it seconds.

"Careful!" Seto cautioned. "It's fragile! And I spent a good amount of time searching for it!" By the time Seto had finished talking, Amelda had revealed the contents.

The redhead stared at the most realistic-looking painted porcelain pineapple in existence. His brain went completely numb. No expression of emotion was revealed upon his countenance. He had never seen anything like it.

Minutes dripped from the leaky faucet of time. The air grew heavy. Sweat beads coalesced on Seto's scalp, dampening his crown. He began to cringe internally as he stared at Amelda's passive face. _I have made a huge mistake!_ he thought. _What was I thinking - a pineapple? _He began plotting ways to torture Mokuba for this asinine idea and how to explain himself to his boyfriend.

But then, Amelda's face brightened as the cogs in his brain moved again. He wore the same wide smile that Mokuba had when he told Nii-sama to get a pineapple. The redhead was on Cloud Nine. (23) "THANK YOU! I've always wanted something like this!" he shrieked joyfully. "How did you know?"

Seto was flabbergasted. He was too stunned that it really was the perfect gift to answer.

"Wait, don't tell me," Amelda said with a look of realization. "Mokuba told you, didn't he? Still, I'm touched."

_Touched? _Seto wondered. _You mean touched in the head. _But he smiled. "It was my idea to get you a gift," Seto said, smug with pride. "I only asked Mokuba for an idea of what you would like out of consideration." Seto wanted it fully understood to whom the credit was due.

"Yes," Amelda replied, grinning knowingly. "Thank you, Seto. I really appreciate it." He started to carefully wrap the porcelain pineapple back into the box.

"What are you doing?" Seto asked, shocked.

"I'm moving," the redhead said patiently. "I don't want this to get damaged."

Seto looked around at the multi-functional room. All of Amelda's stuff was either in the litter of boxes or strewn upon the floor. The Care Bears were missing, presumably packed away, and the knife had been removed with a crowbar. Both items were resting upon the stand where the Statue of David used to be. _He really is moving_, Seto thought. Suddenly, it hit him. "Why don't you move in with me?" Seto suggested in his most persuasive tone. "Mokuba loves you, and I would love it if you moved in! I have lots of room!" Nii-sama did not realize that this idea had been planted into him by the mastermind.

Amelda bit his lower lip skeptically. "Seto," he said slowly. "I don't think that's a good idea. We've only been on one date. It's best not to pick the fruit before it ripens."

_It's best not to… what? _Seto recalled something similar he had been told.

_If you pull a plant up by the stalk, trying to force it to grow, you'll only end up tearing it apart._

_Thanks a lot, Jonouchi! _Seto thought bitterly. _I don't want to ruin this! _He was torn between good advice and his desire to have Amelda completely. "Look," Seto gulped. "I know that it is kind of sudden, and it's probably not the wisest course of action; but I want this, Amelda. I want you! I'll try everything within my power to make it work. I won't force you to do anything."

"Not that you could if you wanted," Amelda returned. He indulged Seto with a kind smile after fortifying the box that contained the precious pineapple with duct tape. "I don't have a place to go, yet."

"So, does that mean you'll move in with me?" Seto asked eagerly.

Amelda sighed. Reluctance was written all over his face. He was trying not to think of how wonderful it would be to live with the man he loved. He felt as if this was inviting trouble. They still did not know each other that well. With the exceptions of the one date and the two duels, anything one might have learned about the other came from Mokuba. Amelda had no doubt that Seto had pumped his little brother for all the information he could. "You're used to having everything your way," Amelda said slowly. "Aren't you? Just have to whip out a check book and you can buy it on the spot, right?" (A/N) He took a deep breath. "I can't be bought, Seto. And you can't control me."

Seto's shoulders slumped. He glared at Amelda. "I know that!" he defended. "I am not trying to _buy_ or _control_ you! I can learn to love!" The words were out before he could stop himself. "I understand that it takes a daily effort. I understand about spending quality time together to accumulate knowledge, which leads to respect and responsibility. I understand letting things grow on their own for their own sake. I can do that for you; just give me a chance!"

Amelda was floored. He was speechless. He could not breathe. _Wow! _he thought. _I don't think that came from Mokuba! _The moment was surreal. The sunlight filtered through the open window, illuminating the specs of dust suspended in the air. The light glinted off Amelda's tresses like rubies. He cast his eyes down at the floor, hoping Seto would not see the tears that had formed.

Seto saw them. He knew. He walked over to Amelda and lifted his chin so that grey eyes looked straight across into his blue ones. "Amelda," he said fervently. "Let me love you." The shines multiplied, shimmering across an abyss of liquid silver. "Will you move in with me?" Seto whispered.

"Yes," Amelda breathed. He smiled broadly. "I trust you."

* * *

A/N: Amelda doesn't know about this, but it's a logical assumption: In episode 171, Kaiba buys a sports car right on the spot. It's one of my favorite scenes of Kaiba! 


	22. Plan E

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, you would know about it! Mwa ha ha ha!

Chapter 22

"Mokuba!" Seto leaned in through the open door. "Clean this room up! It looks like an animal lives in here!" Mokuba glared at his brother. "Amelda's moving in today! I don't want him to see this!"

"He's worse!" Mokuba defended, trying to shift the blame.

"That's no excuse!" Nii-sama shouted. He walked over to stand next to his younger brother. "Clean this up now! The servants complain that they can't spend all day trying to straighten your bedroom when they've got a whole house to maintain! And when Amelda arrives, you come downstairs and help me move his stuff in!"

"What?" Mokuba exclaimed. "Have the servants do that!"

Seto straightened himself to his fullest height, towering over Mokuba. "They've made themselves scarce today. I can't find them. Besides, you seemed to be just as eager as me to invite Amelda to move in the first place!"

_I was more than eager_, Mokuba thought, thinking of the phone call he had made. He sighed. "Do I have to help? Onii-chan has a ton of stuff! Nii-sama, I could collapse under it all!"

Seto gave him a stern look. "You want to be a man? Start acting like one instead of a lazy, pubescent teenager." He cast an eye around the room again. "This room had better be clean by the time I return _or else_." Nii-sama departed swiftly, leaving Mokuba feeling resentful, frustrated, and afraid.

_

* * *

_

Three hours later a bright yellow moving van pulled up the parabolic drive, towing behind it a Toyota with peeling blue paint, followed by Amelda on his red motorcycle. The two vehicles stopped, and the driver of the van got out. He walked over to Amelda, who removed his helmet, dismounted his bike, and stashed the grey helmet in the compartment under the seat. "Thanks for volunteering," Amelda said.

"I was happy to help, Zen-sama," the young bishonen said.

Seto strutted over, surprising Amelda with what the CEO called "casual" dress. "Who's this?" He asked his boyfriend, ignoring the volunteer.

"He's one of the dancers at Bishonen-ai," Amelda informed. "I asked him to drive the van so I wouldn't have to make two trips." Amelda turned to his employee. "Thanks again! I'll call a cab for you. You live in Domino City, right?"

"Yes, sir."

Amelda phoned the cab, hung up, and turned back to Seto. "Is that what you call casual? A crisp, linen shirt and nice slacks don't convince me that you intend to move boxes, Seto. Manual labor means sweat and dirt, you know."

"I don't own any jeans," Seto replied, glancing over to the bishonen, who was staring at him disbelievingly.

"Whatever," Amelda muttered. The taxi cab came a moment later, Amelda handed the volunteer a wad of cash for the taxi, and he left. Seto looked at the moving van and then at the front door expectantly. "What are you waiting for?" Amelda asked as he walked over to the hitch to unlatch the Toyota.

"Mokuba," Seto answered. He strode over to the back of the van, where Amelda was opening it up. He revealed a full cargo hold; boxes were stacked to the ceiling. Seto gulped. "Ano… We can get started. I'll grab Mokuba when we get inside."

They each took two boxes and carried them to Seto's bedroom. As he walked out of the bedroom, he made a beeline to two doors down the hall. "Mokuba!" he called. He opened the door, the room looked exactly as it had done three hours ago, and Mokuba was quickly closing the window to whatever he was looking at on the Internet. Nii-sama gave him the scorpion's look of death.

Mokuba was momentarily paralyzed. He followed his brother and Amelda downstairs, to help them move the rest of the stuff. When the majority of the boxes had been removed, Seto could see furniture stashed in the back. "Amelda," he queried, "why is your furniture here? We don't need it."

Silver eyes glinted at him. "It's mine! I sold my bed and a lot of my dishes, but I still want to keep some of my other things. I can't give my prayer table away! Nana gave me that!"

"Nana? And what's a prayer table?"

"Onii-chan's maternal grandmother," Mokuba answered his nii-sama. "He lived with her before moving to Japan. And the prayer table is the little table that was in his bedroom. Nii-sama, I would've thought you'd seen it already."

"Never made it to the bedroom," Seto muttered. He shoved the last box into Mokuba's arms to shut him up. "Take that in."

Mokuba obeyed. Amelda watched him go for a bit; then he watched Seto climb into the cargo hold, smirking to himself and enjoying the good view. "Remember to lift with your legs - not your back," Amelda cautioned.

"I know that!" Seto snapped. "Come here and help me." The redhead climbed in and walked over to the other end of the coffee table that they had played Monopoly on. "Is this the prayer table?" Seto inquired.

"No."

"Okay then, what do you need this for?" Amelda glared at him. "Fine," Seto resigned. He picked up one end of the table and walked backwards with Amelda holding the other end. The two Kaibas and Amelda successfully moved the office desk, computer, television, bookshelf, prayer table, and armoire until they got to the dilapidated couch. "I have more than enough couches, and this thing looks like it's going to fall apart!"

"Unless you replace it, I'm not getting rid of it!"

"Fine," Seto snarled. He muttered darkly under his breath, "I can't see why we need another couch…"

Amelda had fun carrying the couch up the stairs. He had started screaming, "Pivot!" at Seto, who had failed to get the humor. (A/N) Four and a half hours of back-breaking labor caused all three to be exhausted, sweaty, dirty, and grumpy with strands of hair sticking out at all angles.

"I'm taking a shower!" Mokuba announced before they reached the second floor. He crawled to his bedroom to disappear until dinner. Seto collapsed onto his own bed, not stirring. Amelda slumped to the floor beside him. He looked around the bedroom, which seemed a lot smaller now that all his stuff was occupying it, too. He scowled. Even with less space, it still had more than Amelda's whole apartment.

Once the lactic acid neutralized in Amelda's muscles, he got up to poke Seto awake. "Come on, you're filthy. You don't want to just lay there all day, do you?"

Seto moaned. "I'm not moving for all the rare Duel Monsters cards in the world!" he proclaimed.

"Suit yourself," Amelda cajoled. "I am going to take a shower now. I was going to invite you to join me, but I can see you would rather-"

Seto jumped up without a word and headed straight for the bathroom, stripping his clothes as he went. The redhead laughed softly to himself. He took off his shoes and walked into the bathroom where Seto was standing, naked, and impatient.

"Seto," Amelda said slowly, "there's something you should know about me. Something you haven't seen, yet."

There was something in his lover's voice that told Seto to pay attention. His eyes were fixed upon Amelda's face, trying to discern the importance. The redhead was removing his clothes, but he took his gloves off last. Seto gasped when he saw what Amelda had been covering up all along. Amelda swallowed, feeling more naked without his gloves than anything else. "Because we will be living together, I thought you should see this."

Seto walked slowly toward him, tentatively reaching forward to touch the scarred forearms. There were various shades of pink and white among the criss-crossing scars. It did not look like skin but leather that had been shredded through a food processor. No hair grew on them. It was tough and leathery to the touch, and Seto could feel the pain of multiple razor blades and knives as his fingertips lightly traced them. There was nothing to prepare him for this. His jaw clenched as his stoic face solidified into stone. Only his eyes expressed the sorrow he felt as he gazed into Amelda's face for an explanation.

"I lost _everything_," Amelda whispered. "My parents were the first to die. I convinced myself I could only live with that if I could keep Miruko alive. I failed him. The emptiness inside me was unbearable. I mutilated myself to _feel_… to feel _anything _other than my broken, empty heart. Pain is better than nothing at all." He choked on his own tears, but forced himself to continue. "When I got my soul back, I made a promise to Miruko that I would live on. I went back home. Not too long after that, I found my Nana was still alive, living with her nephew in Knin. I moved there and lived with them for three years until Nana died, too. After that, I moved here. I just couldn't take it anymore." Amelda closed his eyes; tears streamed down his face.

Seto felt suffocated. He could not speak. But he wanted Amelda to know how he felt about him. He caressed the side of Amelda's face, wiping away the tears, and kissed him gently. He embraced him protectively, drawing his bare chest to Amelda's. The redhead remained passive for a moment, letting himself be lavished with affection. He reached up and ran his fingers through Seto's short brown hair. The kiss became deeper and more aggressive as they both moved toward and into the shower. Seto reached behind Amelda to turn the water on, letting the hot clean water wash over them, taking all the dirt away.

Amelda broke the kiss, leaning his head back to let the shower spray onto his head, soaking his hair, and running down his face and neck, mingling with the salty tears. Seto loved the way Amelda looked wet. He nuzzled his neck, biting gently.

The small gasp Amelda emitted was drowned out by the sound of the falling shower. He moved back to let the water splash across Seto, rinsing dirt and sweat away. He reached behind him to grab a bath sponge, soaked it with water, and lathered it up with liquid soap. He spent his time luxuriously washing his lover. Seto grabbed a second sponge and washed Amelda in return. They gazed into each other's eyes the entire time as they carefully and slowly cleaned every square inch.

As soon as they were squeaky clean and the sponges had exhausted themselves of lather, they took turns shampooing and conditioning the other's hair. After that, Amelda started to kiss Seto's chest. He made little circles with his tongue, explored shallow crevices between toned muscles, and teased his nipples, causing shock waves of pleasure in Seto. He had dropped the sponge and used his free hands to rub against Seto - anywhere within reach.

Amelda knelt down, taking in Seto's length into his mouth. Fellatio was an art for Amelda. He sucked a little harder at the glans, applied pressure with his tongue on the frenulum, and licked the shaft as if it were covered in sugar as he moved in a rhythmic motion. Seto's brain flooded with pleasure, and he keeled over, leaning on Amelda for support. His knees turned to butter, and he had difficulty standing on the slippery floor of the shower. His moans were loud enough to be heard in the bedroom.

Seto could feel his groin muscles tighten with anticipation, then release their contraction in an orgasmic spasm. Amelda stood up, transferring the emission he had not swallowed into a sticky kiss. Seto let the sharp tasting fluid flow down his throat as their tongues wrestled for dominance. It wasn't the first time Amelda had pulled that trick, but Seto discovered he liked the taste. It was the texture that took getting used to.

He grabbed Amelda's penis to masturbate him as they kissed passionately. Within a minute or so, Amelda lost the ability to moan and kiss simultaneously, and he rested his head on Seto's shoulders. He went as limp as a fish when he climaxed and insisted that Seto carry him out of the shower. "I can't stand up," he said, smiling broadly. "Carry me like you did when you took my soul."

Seto did not bother to ask how he knew about that. He turned off the water, picked up the redhead, and carried him to the bed. He left him lying there to grab a few towels. "Get a comb and a hair dryer while your at it!" Amelda called after him. He returned with all items, and they lovingly dried each other off.

"When are we going to have sex?" Seto asked. He had asked on their date, but Amelda had said never on the first date.

"When you're ready," Amelda replied, rubbing the brunette's hair dry with a towel.

"I'm ready," Seto said.

"Really?" Amelda smiled. "You know, I'm always top."

Seto dropped the towel he was using. "That's not fair!" he exclaimed. "I should be top!"

"You have the experience?" Amelda rhetorically inquired. "You should let me take you before you make assumptions. I'm damn good! I know how to give you multiple orgasms."

Seto did not know how to further prove that he should be top. He had no experience, and until Amelda just said it now, he did not think multiple orgasms were for men. When he stated this, Amelda returned, "It's a myth that only women can receive multiple orgasms. It takes practice and experience. I can show you things you've never even dreamt of, Seto. Furthermore, I won't tolerate any of your "pride" issues. Let me be top for now. Maybe later I'll change my mind. So, do you want to have sex now?"

"Ano," Seto said, gulping, "there's no rush."

* * *

**Author's Note**: The "pivot" joke is a pop culture reference to the television show, "Friends." (1) 

If you want to know about the background story referenced in this chapter, please visit my forum, "**Ink**."


	23. Not A Competition?

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: I do not possess any rights to Yu-Gi-Oh. Chi-chi is my original character. Do not use without permission.

Chapter 23

Whenever Seto returned home from his morning jog, he always found Amelda still asleep in bed. The pacifist was not too hard to wake, but he only wanted to get up when it suited him. The first time Seto had woken him up to ask if he wanted to go jogging with him, Amelda had snarled at him and told him to jog to Hell. There was no second time.

They had been living together for a week now. Seto suffered from an internal struggle. His lover's habits were really getting under Seto's skin. He could not stand the messiness more than any of the other annoying quirks combined. He took quick actions to correct this. He had servants clear out the room that was between his bedroom and Mokuba's, and told Amelda to move all his stuff into there. The dancer's computer, furniture, porcelain pineapple, vast amounts of books, Statue of David, Care Bears, TV, porn collection, and everything else went except Amelda's wardrobe and prayer table, which stayed in the bedroom. Amelda had put his foot down on the latter. The fireball had complained loudly about having to move a second time and muttered dark, dire threats under his breath. It rolled off Seto's back like water on a duck. He knew that if Amelda really wanted to hurt him, he would have.

The aforementioned room was not Amelda's own bedroom, but a sort of den. The armoire had to go into Amelda's den, too. In spite of the fact that the CEO had cleared out half his closet to share, the dancer's wardrobe was so large it would not fit. So, the remainder was put into the armoire, which was stashed in the den.

In traditional Japanese homes, the _getabako _(7) is right by the front door; but since the Kaiba manor was more Western style, Seto kept his getabako by the bedroom door. There was one in every bedroom, including the guest rooms. Amelda had so many shoes, they would not all fit onto the getabako. And to prevent the redhead from littering the floor with the remainder of his footwear, Seto had bought a second getabako. Amelda had to laugh at himself for this, "I'm worse than a woman!"

The redhead liked having his own private space where he could hang his chili-lights, and Seto enjoyed having a neat, spacious, and tidy bedroom again. He hardly bothered to visit Amelda's den for the sake of his own mental health. The new hot pink carpet that Amelda had installed (with Seto's money) could barely be seen within two days. Seto warned Amelda that he could not violate any health or fire codes. "I'm not _that _bad!" the redhead had protested.

"How you fitted all your stuff into that hole you called an apartment is a mystery," Seto remarked once his boyfriend had unpacked the last box. They never actually got into real fights. There was some banter and snark between work, eating, sleeping, blow jobs, and normal conversations, but they both mellowed out a bit as they each became accustomed to the other's presence. Seto was too fascinated by Amelda to really be bothered with the redhead's razor-edged tongue, and Amelda was too in love with Seto to take his caustic remarks seriously.

One week had turned into two. Mokuba put Onii-chan through his paces by asking him to cook every night for dinner. Except on Mondays, Amelda would usually comply. Seto now understood why Mokuba ranted and raved so much about the food. He, too, became a follower of the Kitchen Rules. It was much easier for Seto to adjust because he rarely went into the kitchen except to get something to drink. Also, there was the fact that he usually did not come home in time for dinner, which greatly aggravated Amelda.

"I don't understand what takes you so long at work," Amelda commented. It was almost midnight as Amelda sat up in bed, having waited for his lover to come home. Seto stood by the door, taking off his shoes, and placing them neatly on the getabako. He tried straightening the other pairs of shoes (Amelda's), but he gave up. He made no comment as he undressed, taking everything out of his pockets, putting it all away neatly, and placing his clothes in the hamper. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

"It wasn't a question," Seto replied. He changed into his pajamas. He got into bed and turned to Amelda. "I'm surprised you wear pajamas. I would have thought that someone who walks around naked would sleep naked, too."

Amelda pinched his own skin. "I don't have any fat; I get too cold at night," he answered. He plucked at Seto's blue silk pajamas. "You're modest even asleep," he remarked while unfastening the top buttons. "Why don't you come home a little earlier from now on," he said playfully. "I'll make it worth your while."

"My job is much more demanding than yours," Seto said. "I can't procrastinate unfinished work just to gratify you. I have to stay ahead of the competition. That's why I'm the best."

There was a sickly sweet taste of blood in Amelda's mouth as he bit his tongue to keep from lashing out. He swallowed, trying to control the anger that was flaring up. "My job is _not _undemanding!" he hissed. "I work every day, too! Bishonen-ai isn't open during the week but things have to be taken care of."

Seto gave the redhead a sideways look of skepticism. "It's still easier than mine."

"This is _not _a damn competition!" Amelda yelled. "If you think you can handle my job, then let's switch for a week!"

"No way!"

"A _day _then," Amelda scorned, "if you think you can handle it, Seto!"

And against the CEO's better judgment, he agreed.

_

* * *

_

"What's going on?" Mokuba inquired, sensing something was up. He walked into the master bedroom while the two were getting dressed. "I heard yelling last night."

"You really need to learn to knock, kiddo," Amelda remarked. He pulled on his pants. "Your brother and I are switching jobs for the day."

"Are you ready for school, yet?" Seto asked.

Mokuba was in uniform with his book bag under his arm. He was ready to walk out the door. "Yes," he muttered.

"Don't use that tone with me," Seto returned. He surveyed the redhead's attire. "You are not representing me dressed like _that_!"

"If you want me to dress like you, then you have to dress like me," Amelda replied suavely, putting his hands on his hips. Seto gazed at the bare stomach. He loved how Amelda dressed, but it would not be appropriate as Acting CEO. He wished he could pull Mokuba out of school to keep an eye on the pacifist so that nothing went horribly wrong.

"There is no way I would dress like you," Seto replied. "But that doesn't mean you should be so unprofessional."

"You like my yummy tummy - admit it!" Amelda teased.

_And why is he not bottom again? _Seto wondered. He failed to realize that Amelda was controlling in his own way… and untrusting. "Okay, I will dress down, but you must wear something decent!"

A cheshire cat smile flashed suddenly. Seto knew instantly that whichever bulb brightened in Amelda's head he was not going to like it. He groaned as Amelda stripped himself of his present outfit and started to put on CEO's clothes. Soon, the redhead was wearing the exact same outfit that Seto had worn when he dueled the swordsman on top of the plane - complete with metal gauntlets and the KC insignia belt.

Mokuba laughed so hard he fell to the floor. Seto bit his lip to keep himself from smiling. He could not deny that he was aroused by this, but he was extremely annoyed that Amelda would dare to wear his signature look out in public. "I don't think so, Amelda," he said. "Try something else."

"It's either this, or I go naked," the pacifist threatened.

He was dead serious, and Mokuba knew it. Seto on the other hand could not believe that anyone could be so crass. His younger brother came to his rescue. "Onii-chan, please be reasonable!" he pleaded. "If you go like that, _everyone _is going to know that you and Nii-sama are lovers!"

"So? I've got nothing to hide."

"Nii-sama needs to maintain a certain image to the public," Mokuba explained. "You can't bring down his reputation."

_Ouch! _Amelda wanted to cry. He was too taken aback to be furious. He looked at Seto with wet, silvery eyes. "Is that how you feel? I'm something to be _ashamed _of?"

"No," Seto murmured. "You have the wrong idea, Amelda. I do have to maintain a certain image-"

"If you never get married to a woman, people will suspect," Amelda interrupted. "So does that mean you'll hold a fake marriage, too? You'll leave me for some female you don't even love? Where is your _conviction_, Seto?"

Seto Kaiba had conviction in spades. He rarely ever doubted himself, but he never before had to deal with his private life mingling with his professional life. "You and Mokuba are the ones I'm concerned about," Seto elaborated. "The media is like the circling vulture. They will tear you apart with their pens. Mokuba could be harassed at school because of my sexual orientation. Do you wish that?"

Both Amelda and Mokuba looked uncomfortable. Neither wanted to admit to it that Seto had a point, but they did not like keeping this secret in the closet. Both felt strongly that Seto should not worry so much about them but himself. Mokuba spoke up, "Nii-sama, we both were prepared to face adversity before you even knew you were gay. We will stand by you if you chose to go public. We would rather you did, because we feel that love is a light that you should not keep under a basket." He was rather pleased with himself for remembering the metaphor he once heard Onii-chan use.

The steely look in Amelda's eyes told Seto that he agreed with Mokuba. The CEO knew he could not argue with either of them as their minds were set. _The truth is_, he admitted to himself, _that I am not ready. I am not ready for Mokuba to face the adversity. I know that Amelda would be fine. But I don't have his conviction when it comes to being homosexual. _He blinked a few times, trying to sort his thoughts. Resigned for a compromise, he said, "Wait here, I'll go call my secretary to distribute a memo. I'm going to tell her to tell my employees that I'm conducting an 'experiment.' You are to play along. Do not admit that you are romantically involved with me, that you live with me, and do not talk to the media if they should come."

"Is that your solution?" Amelda asked ruefully. "Seto-"

"This is my compromise," Seto cut him off. "I am not ready to come out of the closet just yet."

At that moment, Isono showed up at the door of the bedroom. He had keys to the house, and he hung back upon hearing that last statement. Mokuba could see him since he was nearest the door. He exchanged a look of understanding with Isono and hurriedly said, "I have to go to school now! Good luck you two!" And he left without further ado.

Seto removed his white suit and put on the T-shirt that Amelda had given him. He put on some black slacks and the long, blue coat (from Duelist Kingdom). "Is this casual enough for you?" he asked.

Amelda gulped back the remaining tears. "Yeah," he conceded as he dried his face with a hand. "Does this mean we're going through with the switch?"

"Just for today," Seto replied. "Is there anything I should know before I leave?"

"Uh…" Amelda left the room with the white, sleeveless, leather jacket billowing behind him. Seto followed him out of the bedroom and into the den. He clenched his jaw to keep himself from making a nasty comment about organization skills or lack thereof. He watched as Amelda rummaged through junk on his desk, looking for something. "Atta! Here." The redhead handed the brunette a ring of keys, some compact discs, and a memory stick. "You'll need these. Talk to Chi-chi; he'll help you. I'm expecting some costumes that I've ordered to come in. I've been having problems with the delivery service. If there in today, have them distributed. Also, make sure that Array 14 is fixed. You can even do that yourself." He searched through a drawer in his armoire. "Here, make sure this gets mended." He handed Seto a sequined butterfly thong.

Seto's face flushed crimson as his throat tightened with embarrassment. "Anything else?" he asked, praying that this was the worst of it.

"No, that'll do," Amelda replied. "Is there anything I should know?"

It took several seconds for the wheels to turn again in Seto's brain as he stared at the glittery thong. "Uh… everything you need is in my briefcase."

"Good, that'll make things easier. Shall we go now?"

_

* * *

_

Seto drove around to the back of Bishonen-ai to a secluded parking lot marked _Employee Parking Only_. He took a deep breath, _I hope Amelda called Chu-chu or whatever his name was_. He forced himself not to think of what Amelda might be doing while sitting behind his office desk at Kaiba Corp. He sincerely hoped that whatever happened today, he would be able to look back on it in the future and laugh. He grabbed the bag full of the stuff he needed, got out of his BMW, and went to the door marked "Employees Only Beyond This Point."

Using the master key, he unlocked it, and stepped inside. A bare, undecorated hallway was before him. It looked as if it might belong in a hospital or a factory. The florescent lights spluttered and buzzed, there was a creaking noise, and an ominous cloud descended upon the elite CEO.

Closing the door behind him and making sure it was locked, he proceeded down the hall. There were many doors, all unmarked. He tried the third one he came to. He walked into a carpeted hallway hung with portraits. To Seto, it resembled a corridor in a hotel. This was encouraging, and he emboldened himself to move further. Coming to an open door that led into a lounge, he noticed a few young men watching sumo wrestling on TV. One of the bishonen looked over to him. "Are you lost?"

"I'm Seto Kaiba. Amelda sent me to cover him for today."

One bishonen said to the other as if Seto was not there, "Isn't he the president of Kaiba Corp? Man, Zen-sama really does have connections!" He turned to Seto. "Who's Amelda?" he asked.

"His stage name is Zen," Seto explained, surprised that Amelda's employees did not even know his name.

"That's right," another bishonen spoke up. "We're used to calling each other by our stage names. We forget the real names."

"Can we help you?" a third bishonen asked.

Behind Seto, the bishonen who had volunteered to drive Amelda's moving van stood behind him, wanting to get into the lounge. "Excuse me," he said politely. He jumped back when Seto turned around. "What are you doing here?"

Seto was about to explain himself when yet another bishonen came running down the hall towards him. "There you are!" the bleached, spiky haired bishonen yelled. "I've been looking all over for you!" He grabbed Seto by the arm. "This way."

"Who are you?" Seto asked, following the young man dressed ridiculously in very short, velvet, turquoise shorts. He freed himself from his grip.

"I'm Chi-chi," he replied. "I'm the one Zen-chan usually leaves in charge when he's not here."

Seto sized Chi-chi up. He had to be the most feminine guy Seto had ever come across - including Siegfried Von Schroeder. The glossy white go-go boots and matching mini-top depicting Tinkerbell (1) did not impress Seto in the least. A multitude of bracelets jingled upon Chi-chi's wrist as he gestured for Seto to keep up. They arrived at the back room to the stage, where all the bishonen assembled before the show.

It seemed that no one was in costume. _Then again, it's the middle of the week_, Seto reminded himself. _They don't need to get dressed up now._ He opened up the bag and handed Chi-chi the cd's and memory stick. "Here," he said. "I don't know what to do with these. And Amelda said something about getting Array something fixed. What's that?"

"Amelda? You mean Zen-chan?" Chi-chi looked at him wide-eyed. "It's so cute that you call him by his real name!" One glare from Seto wiped the smile from Chi-chi's face. "Array 14 is the lighting fixture that's part of a complex light system for the stage. They're all labeled. That door there leads to the catwalk."

Seto handed Chi-chi the bag and took off. He climbed the stairs up to the catwalk to have a look. Technology was something he could handle. As he reached Array 14 he knew immediately what was wrong with it. "What's so hard about this job?" he asked himself aloud as he descended the stairs in search for the appropriate tools to fix Array 14. _Amelda is going to be sorry when he comes home from Kaiba Corp today! He'll be on his knees begging me for forgiveness!_

to be continued...

* * *

A cliffie! Hee hee hee! Next chapter: Seto finds out what work _really_ is like at Bishonen-ai, and Amelda is the CEO of Kaiba Corp for the day! Not that you have long to wait... 


	24. Respect

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: Yu-Gi-Oh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am not Kazuki Takahashi. Chi-chi is my original character. Do not use without permission.

Chapter 24

Amelda leaned back in Seto Kaiba's executive chair, stretching like a cat. He relaxed before starting the day's work. When he had walked off the elevator into the executive lobby, the secretary had handed him a small stack of papers, some Post-It notes, (1) and told him that she had post-poned the meeting with the Canadian bankers until the following Wednesday. He had been taken aback by her pre-acceptance of his authority. He flashed her his gorgeous smile and merely said thanks.

Now he flipped through the papers, unsure of what they were for and what to do with them. He read the notes, telling him to do various things like calling so-and-so and various other chores. _Does Seto actually do these things? _Amelda pondered. He could not imagine Seto doing anything as mundane as the simple stuff that Amelda dealt with day to day. He used the speaker phone to call the secretary into "his" office and asked her to explain the nature of each return call. She was a veritable fountain of information. He wrote it all down, thanked her kindly, and casually asked her to get him a cappuccino.

_I am going to like working with him_, she thought. _He's very nice and laidback. _She could not recall Kaiba-sama ever being so casual. She went back out to her desk and phoned Isono, who was on his way back to Kaiba Corp from dropping Mokuba off at school. He agreed to pick up the cappuccino. Ten minutes later, Amelda was in coffee heaven.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" he asked.

Amelda picked up the papers and handed it to him. "Take care of these, please," he said. "And you can call me Zen-sama. That's what my employees call me."

_O…kay… _thought Isono, who had no clue about Bishonen-ai. "Whatever you prefer, sir." He quickly scanned the papers. "I'll have these back to you as soon as possible… Zen-sama."

"Thanks!" Amelda replied good-naturedly. He put his feet up on the desk, watching a small bead of sweat drip down Isono's temple. Amelda knew what he was thinking: Kaiba-sama would _never _allow that! Amelda grinned sadistically. _This is going to be fun! _

_

* * *

_

It was a nightmare! Like herding cats! Seto had a hard time getting the bishonen to listen to him or Chi-chi. They were lazy and insolent. It was not until Seto had grabbed an eye-lash curler out of frustration that they jumped up and assembled. Seto blinked. _Does Amelda threaten them with eye-lash curlers? _he wondered. He used it to his advantage nonetheless, brandishing the cosmetic tool at them, and yelling for them to do as they were told. They all nodded in unison.

Chi-chi had told Seto that usually the first thing that Zen-chan did on this particular day of the week was to survey each bishonen's dance number. This is why Seto had spent 40 minutes trying to assemble the lot on stage. They proceeded in a pre-arranged order unbeknownst to the CEO. He could at least tell which ones had practiced and which ones had not, even if he was not able to rate the performance. He hollered at them to go practice on the smaller, auxiliary stage behind the main stage. Halfway through the line, one bishonen started to break down and bawl his head off, lamenting that he was worthless, that he ought to be struck down by lightening, and that he was a lousy artist who will never amount to anything. This sort of melodrama Amelda dealt with on a daily basis. Chi-chi observed his "boss" for a reaction.

Furious and impatient, Seto scathingly said, "You are worthless if that's how you're going to act."

The bishonen stopped crying to gulp at him. He got up and numbly said, "I think I'll go hang myself now." And he walked off the stage. Several others made to follow to stop him, but Seto told them not to.

"But he's serious! You don't know him!" they said.

The CEO carelessly waved his hand in an apathetic dismissal. "Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore. But don't bother to come back."

They left, giving him dark glares. Chi-chi, who was standing by Seto's side in much the same manner as Isono did, whispered in his ear that Zen-chan usually handled things differently.

"Zen isn't here! I am!" Seto returned loudly. Those who remained stopped to stare at him. "What are you all standing around for?" he said heatedly. "Continue!"

_

* * *

_

When Amelda had finished calling everyone, he felt he had handled most of them pretty well. He had only lost his temper with an irate Russian, who wanted to short-change him in a deal. Amelda had enough business sense to know this. He switched from conversing in Japanese to cuss him out in Russian. Why Amelda was conversing in Japanese with a Russian when he could speak the language escaped him. Needless to say, the man on the other end of the line had been shocked, and a furious battle of words had ensued until Amelda had hung up on him.

The redhead was morosely staring into the empty coffee cup until Isono walked in. He handed Amelda the papers he had been assigned, informing him that they were taken care of. Isono waited patiently for new orders. Amelda just sat there, giving him a puzzled look. "Yes?"

"What would you like me to do next, sir?" Isono asked.

Amelda looked around at the now messy desk. "Uh…" he stammered. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do."

Isono explained a few other things that needed to be taken care of, including supervising the latest reconstruction of the project that had blown up. That sounded more interesting to Amelda than the rest. He wanted to hear the full background story of what had happened. Isono filled him in as they rode the elevator down to the appropriate floor. Amelda was disappointed. He did not know that Isono was a lousy story teller. Isono stuck to bare and only relevant facts.

They reached the workroom where the latest holographic technology was being constructed. Isono explained that this new holographic technology displayed layering, so that when layers were removed, there was still an image underneath. He elaborated how this would be particularly useful in the medical field, and that Seto-sama was intending it for this use as well as entertainment.

"What about the military?" Amelda prompted. "If they get a hold of this technology it can lead to serious consequences. They'll be able to utilize this to better design weapons, tanks, and other military crafts."

"There are patent rights-"

"Patent rights my ass!" Amelda interrupted. "I'll take it up with Seto myself."

"Yes, sir," Isono replied. He left Amelda to supervise while he continued to run the day's errands.

The dancer was mechanically oriented, and he could build a car from scratch; but he had little patience with technology, and he only learned when it was necessary. The sheer amount of wires alone boggled him. He observed as one worker turned the thing on and it blew up, again. Black smoke from an electrical fire rose and turned on the sprinklers. Amelda stood there, soaking wet. "That's it," he stated flatly. "All of you meet me in the boardroom in one hour. I want you to teach me how this thing works and what went wrong."

_

* * *

_

Seto was opening doors at random, trying to locate whoever it was that mended the costumes. He was self-conscious about carrying around a sparkling thong, but he was also a professional. He opened one door to reveal two bishonen having sex in a small dressing room. "Like to watch?" a bishonen asked kinkily as he pounded away into his partner. With a clenched jaw and appled cheeks, Seto shut the door without a reply.

Behind him came the very pretty bishonen who had volunteered to drive Amelda's moving van. "Did I just see what I thought I saw?"

"It's irrelevant," Seto muttered. "Do you mend costumes?"

"No, but the guy who does isn't here today."

"And why not?" Seto inquired heatedly.

The bishonen shrugged. "I don't know," he said indifferently. "Not everyone shows up every day. We don't have regular schedules, and we're not paid by the hour. And it _is _relevant if they're having sex in there because Zen-sama would fire them on the spot."

"Really?" Seto said, surprised. "I always thought he'd be okay with that. He is gay, after all."

"He doesn't tolerate sex on the premises… or drug use, period," the bishonen explained. "He's quite strict. He wants to maintain a level of professionalism."

"Oh," Seto murmured, impressed. "Should I fire them?"

"I know you're filling in as boss, today," he replied, "but I don't think you have that authorization. You can leave a report for him in his office. As for the thong," he grabbed the undergarment from Seto, "I'll leave this in the "to-mend" box in the costume department."

Seto thanked him and started moseying back towards the lounge, unsure of what he was supposed to do next. He had finished everything Amelda had told him to take care of. The shipment of costumes never came, and he had called up the delivery service. They promised to deliver the next day after a few choice words from Seto Kaiba. Array 14 was fixed, the thong was to be mended, the routines were checked, and Chi-chi had taken care of whatever was on the memory stick. It felt almost as if Seto could go home. He reached the lounge to see what else there was to be done.

He found the same dancer that had broken down and cried onstage. He was obviously drugged. His glassy eyes were round and inhuman in appearance. "Hello there cobbly man!" he exclaimed. "You like dragons, too?"

"What?" Seto asked without thinking. "Are you talking to me?"

"I like your cobbly skin," he smirked. "Where did you buy your second head? I shop for heads in the fish market."

_Second head? Cobbly skin? _Seto wondered. _He must be hallucinating_. The CEO remembered what the bishonen had said about Zen's anti-drug rules. "You know you're not supposed to do drugs, right?"

The crazed bishonen looked aghast. "Are you going to tell the tiger?" he asked with utmost sincerity. "Because if you do, he will get angry and eat me!"

"No, he'll fire you," Seto replied sternly. He ordered another bishonen to take him home and baby-sit him until the drugs wore off. Seto collapsed onto the couch, feeling drained. He never had to deal with these issues at Kaiba Corp. He glanced out the open door to see two bishonen running down the hall, full speed, bare-butt naked, and laughing like lunatics. Seto bit his lip. He did not care anymore. Now that he understood what kind of madhouse Amelda was running, his respect for the pacifist's leadership skills increased ten-fold.

_

* * *

_

Amelda arrived home late in the evening, tired, exhausted, and in a sour disposition. He passed the first floor living room on his way to the staircase to go to the master bedroom. Mokuba popped out of the living room directly into his path. "Onii-chan, how did it go? Nii-sama came home around 16:00! We had the chef cook dinner, since you did not come home in time. It wasn't as good as what you make, but Nii-sama said something about-"

Amelda held up a hand to silence the chatterbox. "Mokuba, kiddo, sweetie, I don't care." He slumped off up the stairs to his bedroom. Seto sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed, encircled by neat row upon row of Duel Monsters cards. He tapped a finger on his temple, evidently deeply absorbed in his thoughts. Amelda changed out of his boyfriend's signature outfit without him noticing. He put on his Care Bear pajamas and strode over to his side of the bed. He sighed, waiting for the pensive brunette to notice him.

"How was your day?" Seto asked formally without looking up from the cards.

"There were long periods of brain-dead boredom with intermittent short periods of nail-biting stress. Not that I bite my nails…" He glanced down at his fingernails, which were a bit long and well manicured. "What about you?"

"I don't bite my nails, either," Seto said. "I don't have nervous habits of any kind." He switched the places of two cards and picked up a third, wondering where to put it.

"I was talking about work," Amelda elaborated. "How did it go?"

"I would fire almost all of your employees," Seto responded lightly. "They're lazy, insolent, and demented."

Amelda sat upon the edge, tired of standing. He was careful not to disrupt whatever the CEO was doing. "I wouldn't go as far as to call them demented," the pacifist commented. "So, is that all you have to say about my job? Do you still think that my work is a joke?"

"I never said it was a joke," Seto replied calmly. "But I now understand that your job is demanding to the same degree as mine but in a completely different way." He finally tore his attention from the cards to Amelda. "The costumes did not arrive. They said they would deliver tomorrow. Array 14 is fixed. I left a report for you in your office concerning the conduct of three of your dancers, but that was the worst of them. Everyone was acting as if they weren't at work at all!"

"Yeah," Amelda murmured in agreement. "That's normal. Bishonen-ai is a paradise for them. They have everything they could want or need. Did you see the accommodations?"

"Yes, I did," Seto replied with a trace of a smile. "Some hotels I've been to aren't even that nice. I still think it's extraneous to have a _spa_. It's because you indulge them that they are the way they are. If you want them to be professional, you need to exert some force and discipline."

"I do," Amelda said, smiling at the disbelief etched in Seto's features. "I have strict rules, and they can do anything they want within those rules. And I know how to control them. They respect me."

"What about fear?" Seto inquired. "Do they fear you, too?"

"Yes, I do believe they have a healthy fear of injury and mortality," Amelda remarked casually. Seto laughed. "Yes, I can be very threatening," Amelda said.

"Apparently I'm not as fearsome as you," Seto commented. "Personally, I'm shocked anyone can outdo me in this aspect."

"They aren't familiar with you," Amelda stemmed. "To them, you're just a face on TV. They don't care about Duel Monsters or Kaiba Corp. They just want to have fun."

"Fun has no place in a work environment."

"I disagree," Amelda returned. "I promote fun. I hate dull work."

Seto smirked and resumed pondering over his cards. "Did you leave a report for me?" Seto asked. "So I know what to do tomorrow?"

"Yes," Amelda said, hesitant. He thought of the CEO's desk, remembering that he did leave a report somewhere in the big mess he had made. "It's on your desk." He knew he was going to receive a nasty phone call from his neat-freak of a boyfriend the next morning. He suddenly remembered what he wanted to address to Seto. "I left this in the report, but I was wondering how you're going to prevent your new layered holographic technology from falling into the wrong hands."

"Don't worry about that," Seto said in a low voice. "After being raised by Gozoboro, I learned a thing or two. I won't let that happen."

"You weren't able to prevent Dartz from stealing your company," Amelda replied, rubbing salt in an old wound.

"He had 10, 000 years of experience on me," Seto snarled, reluctant to concede to Amelda's point. "It's an unfair comparison."

"You're right," Amelda muttered, realizing he was wielding a double-edged sword. "It's not like I've got room to talk. I just wanted to… Oh, I don't know anymore."

"In short," Seto said, "I just want to say that I might not have been entirely correct in assuming that your job was undemanding. I hope now that you've been in my position, you understand why I said this."

Amelda gazed at him incredulously. "You call that an apology? You are supposed to say, 'I was wrong, my wonderful, sexy lover, and you were right!'" Seto fell over with laughter, scattering his cards everywhere. "And then I get to say, 'I told you so!'" Amelda finished.

"Honestly, Amelda, you know me better than that!" Seto exclaimed. He gathered all his cards up and placed them in his suitcase. He returned to the bed, crawling over to where Amelda sat, and wrapped his arms around him from behind. He kissed his neck lightly, saying, "I'll make it up to you in my own way, my wonderful, sexy lover."

* * *

Special thanks to all those who have favorited this story! (hugs) Thank you! 


	25. Yoshi Returns

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I do own my own OC's: Yoshi & Yoko Kiyosaki and Amelda's stage name: Zen.

Chapter 25 

"What are you doing?" Amelda asked playfully. He stood behind the computer monitor and leaned over, trying to peer at the screen. His hair fell down and obscured Seto's view.

"Cut it out!" Seto admonished angrily. "What are you doing in my office, anyway? You're as bad as Mokuba. You've just come here to pester me!"

"But you're so cute when you're angry," the redhead simpered as he straightened up. Seto scowled at him. "Your work is so _boring_! How can you stand it?"

"Show some respect!" Seto snarled. "I _love_ work! If you can't understand that then you can't understand me!" He typed away, pretending Amelda was not there. He was positive his lover had gotten the idea from his younger brother to come to Kaiba Corp to distract him while he worked. _Mokuba will pay for this! _Seto thought. _Those two are teaming up against me!_

The CEO's office door banged open. "It's official!" a loud voice announced happily. Seto knew who it was before looking up. In strutted Yoshi Kiyosaki. Technically it was waddling, but Seto could discern the subtle differences. To give his friend time to cool off, Yoshi had not been in contact with Seto since Bishonen-ai. "I have now formed the altruistic, genuine, one-and-only Zen Fan Club!" Yoshi exclaimed gleefully. "We even have an online website!" He walked right past Amelda. Seto counted the seconds until his friend realized just who was in the room.

The look on Amelda's face was priceless. He was astonished at just hearing his stage name and "fan club" in the same sentence! His mouth was open slightly, and his silver eyes were as round as coins. Seto snickered.

"What's so funny?" Yoshi asked Seto, oblivious to the company. He turned to his left and another classic expression formed to cause Seto to laugh out loud. "Y-y-you!" Yoshi stammered. "Z-Zen!"

"Me!" Amelda said in his own humor. He was uncomfortably aware of this strange fat man checking him out from head to toe. Amelda was casually dressed, and he did not think his outfit warranted this behavior.

Seto cleared his throat, deciding to do the proper thing. The two were just staring at each other. Amelda now looked apprehensive. "Amelda, this is my best friend, Yoshi Kiyosaki," Seto introduced formally. "Yoshi, this is my boyfriend, Amelda. Otherwise known to you as Zen."

Yoshi gaped like a fish out of water. He stared now at Seto instead. "Boyfriend?" he asked. "I thought you said that you aren't gay! And now Zen is your _boyfriend_?" Seto could not tell whether Yoshi was jealous, angry, or in complete admiration. It sounded like a blend of all three.

Amelda found his voice. "Would you prefer 'lover?' I live with him, now. And it's not all that sudden! We met _years_ ago!" Amelda straightened himself to his full height, which dwarfed little Yoshi. "Who the _hell_ are you, again?" He breathed fire, his nostrils flared, and silver glinted lethally.

"It's alright, Amelda," Seto said firmly. "He's my friend." He turned to Yoshi. "Yoshi, you don't have to be afraid of him." Seto was concerned for his friend, for he cowered in equal fear and awe at his idol.

"I can't believe I get to meet you in person!" Yoshi squealed. He could not stop himself - he glomped Amelda. "I LOVE YOU!"

The dancer was stunned that anyone could be so stupid as to hug him. He hated to be touched by complete strangers! "Get the fuck off me!" Amelda gnashed vehemently in English. Both CEO's knew their English. Yoshi immediately let go and started to cry. Seto was startled. Amelda was so affectionate physically to him that it did not make sense to Seto that he would be so cold to others. Especially to someone as sweet as Yoshi.

"I'm sorry!" Yoshi blubbered. "I am sorry! I did not mean to offend you, Zen-sama!" He looked pitiful. Instead of softening Amelda, he only snarled more viciously.

"Amelda," Seto spoke up. "He's my friend. Please, be nice to him." The head never turned, but his stormy eyes locked onto him. Seto looked straight into them, trying to reason with the fury. "It's alright," he said in the most soothing tone he could muster. "I trust Yoshi. He's not as bad as he might appear."

"Trust?" Amelda queried. That word stuck out in his brain. _I… _Amelda thought, _how can I… trust? I believe in you, my love. So I trust you._ "Okay," Amelda murmured. His fury evaporated like ethanol. "I'm sorry, Yoshi." he apologized. "I just don't like to be touched by strangers."

Yoshi was astonished that someone's disposition could change more rapidly than his wife, who was going through menopause! "It's okay, Zen-sama," Yoshi said sweetly. "I understand. I-"

"He worships you, Amelda," Seto interrupted.

Yoshi gulped and blushed. Amelda looked incredulous at him, and for the first time since Yoshi arrived, grinned. "Aren't you married?" he asked, noting the gold wedding band.

"Yes," Yoshi said mischievously, "but my wife understands! She feels the same way!"

Amelda laughed, which eased the remaining tension for the two Japanese men. "Ano," the redhead said seriously, "you must not tell anyone my real name! If you really _love_ me, pinky promise me that you'll keep my identity a secret!" Amelda stuck out his right pinky.

Both CEO's stared at the pinky in confusion. "What's he supposed to do?" Seto asked, bewildered.

"Link your pinky with mine," Amelda instructed Yoshi, who looked gleeful. "And state your promise."

"Can I tell Yoko?" Yoshi asked in a sugary voice.

"Yoko?"

"His wife," Seto answered.

"Okay," Amelda agreed. "But _only_ her!" Yoshi giggled delightedly. First he extended his left pinky, changed his mind, and then properly extended the right. After linking the two fingers, he stated his promise to take the secret of Zen's identity to his grave. "Now, you seal it with a kiss." Amelda informed.

Yoshi was beside himself. Seto prickled a little with jealousy but said nothing. Yoshi leaned in towards Amelda, lips puckered. _Smack_! "Not my face, idiot! The pinky link!" Amelda hissed. Yoshi was still in peels of giddiness; he kissed their interlocked fingers with grace and relish. Amelda promptly let go afterwards.

Yoshi clapped and bounced on his heels. He turned to Seto, ecstatic. "Let's go on a double date!" he suggested enthusiastically.

Seto turned to Amelda for his cue. The redhead shrugged apathetically. "Okay," Seto agreed. "But you and Yoko have to behave yourselves!"

Yoshi agreed and left, saying he had to go brag to certain fellow fans that he met Zen in person! Amelda turned to his boyfriend. "Are you sure he can be trusted?" he asked skeptically.

Seto smiled at him confidently. "I understand, Amelda" he said authoritatively, "but I know from personal experience that Yoshi is trustworthy. Enough said." He resumed his work on his computer.

Boredom encroached upon Amelda in thirty seconds. "Seto," he sang while trying to straddle him in his chair. "You should join the Zen Fan Club!" he exclaimed, giggling. "You'll get personal 'benefits' from me!"

Seto was torn between irritation of being distracted from work and being aroused by the said distraction. "You're getting in my way," Seto scorned half-heartedly. "Get off. Go home, and wait for me there."

"You can't tell me what to do," Amelda warned in just above a whisper. He wrapped himself around whatever part of the CEO he could reach, kissing him relentlessly.

_

* * *

_

"I guess dreams do come true when you're friends with Seto Kaiba," Yoko breathed. She looked over to her young friend. "I don't understand. We're almost as rich as you are, but somehow you seem to have everything."

"It's funny," Seto replied. "I used to think the same thing of you."

Yoshi and Yoko Kiyosaki looked taken aback. "Really?" Yoko queried. "Ano, why would you think that?"

"I wanted the happiness that you two have with each other."

Amelda glanced sideways at his boyfriend, impressed with this statement. _He still hasn't said "I love you," yet_, he thought. _But he gives me every reason to believe that he does._

They were dining in Bounenkai Restaurant in Osaka at a table just across the way from where Amelda and Seto sat on their first date. Amelda looked over to the table, remembering how he had felt that everything was so new. He had been living with Seto for nearly three weeks now. Usually when the novelty of a new relationship wore off, there was nothing but cold, dead embers. This was one of the reasons that Amelda's relationships did not last more than a month. But this was not mere infatuation, but love.

The novelty may have worn away, but there was something lasting underneath. A peaceful comfort and ardent love flowed under the superficial surface. Amelda could breathe around Seto. He could rest peacefully and not have to worry about his demons. _Only time heals_, Amelda thought.

"You're really quiet tonight, Amelda," Seto commented to the pensive redhead.

Amelda tore himself from his own thoughts back to reality. "Just preoccupied, I suppose," he mumbled. "Is it just me, or is the water in this place exceptionally good?"

Yoshi picked up his glass of water, inspecting it closely. Yoko put down her champagne and grabbed her husband's glass, taking a sip. "You're right!" she said. "I never noticed before. When my hubby and I were in Hokkaido, the hotel we stayed in had the most excellent water. Didn't it, Yoshi?"

"Yes!" he agreed enthusiastically. "It did! It did not have that metallic, mineral taste that you usually find."

"Why are we talking about _water_?" Seto asked. "How important can this be?"

"The earth is only covered three-quarters in liquid water, and human beings are 70 percent made of water," Amelda answered promptly. "Also, without drinking water, you can die of dehydration in-"

"Okay, I get it!" Seto interrupted.

"The things you take for granted, Seto," Amelda teased. The CEO was pleased to hear the lighthearted tone, which eased his concern that something might be wrong. The Kiyosakis smiled indulgently at the pair of them, reminiscing about their own dating experience. The conversation then turned to business, which Amelda found boring. Yoshi and Seto really could get into mundane details, and he ended up conversing with Yoko about costume design for Bishonen-ai.

Yoshi and Yoko were delightedly surprised to learn that not only was Amelda the owner of Bishonen-ai, but the founder as well. Yoshi proclaimed this was testimony to Zen-sama's artistic genius. He asked Amelda if he could post pictures of him on his fan club webpage. Yoshi confessed that he had once tried to smuggle a camera into Bishonen-ai, but was caught. "Yeah, we're pretty thorough with the security," Amelda mused.

"So, you'll give me a picture?" Yoshi inquired to clear away the doubts.

"It'll be a professional studio shot, but only the one," Amelda said firmly. "I don't really like to advertise by imagery but word of mouth. It leaves more of a mystery that way and makes attending Bishonen-ai an exclusive experience."

"You're a shrewd marketer," Yoko commented. "It's extremely risky to take such a path; there's a high rate of failure with such a strategy. But you reap big if and when everything falls into place."

"And it has."

"Ano, where does the money go?" Seto asked cryptically. The pacifist knew he was referring to his car, apartment, and lifestyle.

"I pay my employees very well. They all have retirement plans, health benefits, and insurance through me," Amelda informed. "Also, I'm saving for a house." He looked at Seto with a sly smile. "But I guess I don't need to now. The rest I send to my relatives in Knin."

"So, you're giving most of your money away?" Yoko queried.

Yoshi's eyes misted over, the shines multiplying. "Zen-sama is so generous!" he breathed in ecstasy. "He blesses us with his art and puts others' needs before his own!"

"Yoshi," Seto cautioned, fearing his friend might explode into a thousand little heart-shaped bubbles. Yoko put a hand on his shoulder to calm her husband down.

The redhead had never been so openly admired from someone of Yoshi's social status. Some of his employees were in awe of him from time to time, but they were birds of a feather. At the end of the evening, Amelda counted the Kiyosakis as friends. He could not understand why Seto was so worried prior to the date about Yoshi. He was eccentric and giggly, but he was also very mature and respectful. Amelda knew that he had misjudged the man at first, and he apologized again for his temper.

"Don't worry about it, Zen-sama," Yoshi reassured. "It's an honor to be in your presence."

_You're overdoing it_, Seto thought to himself. _Even I'm not that smitten_. But he could understand. He put his arm around Amelda's shoulders and bade the Kiyosakis good night. After the Kiyosakis were gone, he turned to Amelda and suggested, "How about we go down to the harbor, again?"

The redhead shivered. "It's too cold," he remarked. "I think summer is finally leaving us."

"You want my jacket?" Seto asked.

Amelda's glare said _no_. "I'm a man, remember? Don't treat me like a woman."

"How about a drive?" Seto suggested. "My car has a heater."

"Mine does, too!" Amelda yelled. "Sheesh, Seto, every car made from the Model T to the present has a heater! Simple mechanics: heat is provided by the engine. And in the first heaters the heat was extracted from the exhaust manifold. Now, the water that cools the engine also-"

"I understand mechanics," Seto cut off. "I was teasing you!" He smirked, glad he had managed to pay him back for distracting him at work. Because of his lover, the project he had on hold continued to be on hold!

"What about the price of gas?" Amelda questioned as they reached the car.

"Amelda, it's me," Seto said. "I can afford the entire oil field if I wanted." The redhead laughed softly as he sat in the passenger seat. "Where would you like to go?"

"I don't care," Amelda replied indifferently. He grinned suddenly. "How about I take you for a ride on my motorcycle sometime?"

"Sometime, maybe," Seto murmured. He looked at his watch. "I hope Mokuba went to bed already. He's been staying up later and later, which causes him to fall asleep in class."

They drove around aimlessly for a while. The redhead played the song, "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls three times in a row until Seto turned off the MP3 player, snarling that the song was now stuck in his head. "You're forbidden to play music in my car from now on," Seto ordained.

"Forbidden?" Amelda said coyly. "You can't control me, Seto."

"My car, my music," Seto authorized. "Your car, your music. Got it?"

"You'll regret that."

Seto laughed. He knew he would, but he did not care. Even being pestered by the redhead made him happy deep down, despite how he might act otherwise. He took a turn on a dark road that lead out of Osaka into a more rural area.

"Domino City is that way," Amelda said, pointing in the opposite direction. "Where are we going?"

"There's a _minshuku_ around here," he said. "I've always wanted to spend the night in one of these when I was little. And since I don't feel like driving all the way back home this late at night, we can spend the night here." He pulled into a lane that led to a Japanese-style Bed and Breakfast. It looked quaint and cozy.

"Okay, I'm interested," Amelda said. "but I didn't bring anything."

"Not to worry," Seto replied. "I had this in mind all along." He popped the trunk of the car open, revealing a suitcase that was packed with the essentials. He glanced at Amelda to see his reaction. The redhead was deeply impressed. Grinning, Amelda dove his hand down into Seto's pant pocket and extracted his wallet. He sauntered off to the minshuku, leaving Seto to carry the suitcase.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you all very much for reviewing! I really appreciate it! You guys are the best! (glomps) 

Also, may I direct you to my newest, "**Drabble Meme**." Please R&R, thanks! I am more than willing to take request, too! Read the guidelines in the fic, first! Thanks!


	26. Seto's First Time

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: Kazuki Takahashi knows that he owns Yu-Gi-Oh and I don't. If you believe that I do, I suggest you look for help.

Chapter 26

Ever since three weeks prior when Seto had asked for sex, there had been no mention of it. This surprised Amelda, who had expected another request from the horny CEO, especially during the romantic and steamy night they spent at the minshuku. Seto was indeed introvertly passionate as Mokuba had said, but the younger Kaiba brother had no idea just how much of this passion was released extrovertly when they were alone together. Amelda was now satisfied that it was time for Seto to "graduate."

The redhead sat upon the bed, stark naked, and contemplated a tube of lubricant warming in a bucket of hot water beside the bed. Seto walked in, unable to see the bucket since it was blocked from his vision by the bed. He removed his shoes, shrugged off his jacket, hung it up, and stretched out upon the bed. "My neck hurts," he stated.

His lover made no comment as he crawled over. He could see Seto watching him upside-down as he untied his four-in-hand. Amelda reached for the bottom of Seto's shirt, yanked it - untucking it, and in one swift motion pulled it off completely. Amelda smiled at the quiet CEO, tossing his removed garments aside. He kissed Seto upside-down, who was intrigued by this new sensation.

Amelda moved to nibble his ear affectionately. His hair tickled Seto's nose. He moved up to kiss his neck and collar bone. Seto relaxed, letting Amelda have it his way. Little licks, sucks, and bites accompanied the meandering mouth as Amelda made his way to the indent at the base of the neck, up the center and across the chest to the nipples. Instead of following the center again, he kissed Seto up his side, tickling him. He reached the barrier of pants, nuzzled an impatient and aroused erection, and agonizingly slowly unfastened the belt with his teeth.

Seto reached up with both hands, grabbed Amelda's ass, and pulled his pelvis down towards him. A small moan of pleasure escaped Amelda as he felt a hot, moist mouth wrap his length. He lost patience himself and stripped Seto of his pants and boxer-briefs in one swift motion. (24) He took in the entire length of Seto's erection deep in his throat. He controlled his gag-reflex, moved slow at first, then sped up. Thirty seconds of deep-throat fellatio was all it took for Seto to lose focus and the ability to be the nine to the six.

Loud, amorous moans told an approaching Mokuba to stay away from the master bedroom even though the door was slightly ajar. He shut himself in his own room, put on some headphones, and drowned himself in music as he did his homework. He smiled to himself, very satisfied that his plan to find Nii-sama love had worked.

A loud but short moan accompanied Seto's climax as he ejaculated. Amelda swallowed. He took a couple deep breaths before reaching to the back of Seto's thighs and pulling his legs towards him. Amelda drew the knees of the limp figure beneath him as close to his sides as his flexibility would allow. The redhead jutted forward slightly to lick his perineum, roughly massaging it with his tongue, and moving further to massage and probe Seto until he was completely relaxed.

It took the brunette several seconds when he opened his eyes to realize that Amelda was no longer on top of him. He blinked a few times in confusion, his pleasure-permeated brain reaching comprehension slowly. He turned his head to his right to see the redhead wearing a condom and fishing out a tube of lubricant from a hidden water source.

Amelda gave his lover a mysterious smile. He shook the water off the plastic tube, popped the cap, and commenced application. It was not until the redhead had moved over to Seto and applied some lubricant on the receiving end that Seto realized what was happening. He jerked backwards to escape, but Amelda was too quick for him. He launched himself on the reluctant virgin, pinning him down by his wrists, and using his knees to spread his legs back and apart.

"Don't worry, my love," Amelda whispered huskily. "I'll be gentle."

But the sadistic smile told Seto otherwise. "I don't believe you, Amelda," he protested. "I know you better than that." He wriggled in an attempt for freedom to no avail. Thrashing only made Amelda tighten his grip and exert his full force. The redhead was much stronger than Seto; he had the same body frame, but his muscles were denser. (A/N)

"If you really don't want to," Amelda said slowly, "I'll let you go. Tell me that you don't want me to make love to you."

Seto stopped struggling. He swallowed, wondering how much it was going to hurt. They both knew that he was not going to tell Amelda no. His lover saw the answer in his deep blue eyes. "As I push in I want you to try and 'push' me out," Amelda instructed. In answer to Seto's obvious confusion, he explained, "This will help ease the pain. After we've done this a few times, it won't hurt anymore. But you have to be completely _relaxed_, or it will hurt _badly_."

Seto nodded to show that he understood.

_

* * *

_

A majestic snow-capped mountain stood tall and stately among a lordly line of its brethren. This king among giants kept vigil over the luscious green terrain below. The long grasses of the Mongolian steppes swayed in unison with the slightest breeze - to all the world and crystal sky above appearing as a jewel colored sea. A quiet softer than the falling snow whispered no secrets of violent orogenies long ago.

Amelda stepped outside, breathing in the cold air and letting the warmth of the sunshine wash his face. Heart stood behind him, watching him carefully. "Your body may have healed," she stated, "but your soul has a ways to go yet."

"I'll be fine," Amelda replied softly. "I have you now." He turned to the inside of the ger and smiled. "I haven't been able to rest since I can't remember."

"What can you not remember?" she asked tentatively.

"Happiness," answered Amelda. "You know the happiness and contentment that comes from when your soul is free of guilt. When you have someone who loves you, and all the world can be seen within their eyes."

Heart bowed her head and murmured softly, just barely audible over the chilly wind ravishing the cloths of the ger, "Your time for happiness is near."

_

* * *

_

Seto opened his eyes. _Did I fall asleep? _he wondered. He deduced that he must have, after looking at the late hour upon his alarm clock. He sat upright, slowly. He was considerably sore, but not to the exaggerated sense that he had heard about. He breathed slowly, letting the assault of images play in his mind. He had no regrets being bottom, and he knew that in time he would share the position of top. He gazed at the sleeping redheaded bishonen beside him, and his heart filled with love and contentment.

Seto knew better to not touch Amelda if he did not want to wake him. The slightest touch or noise was enough to wake the light sleeper. The passive lover enjoyed watching the pacifist sleep. He appeared just as peaceful as he did when he had lost his soul. _Perhaps even then_, Seto thought, _I was starting to feel attracted to him_. He recalled the sympathy he had felt, and the rare generosity of sending Amelda to the hospital. When he had looked at that face, he could not even bring himself to boast about his victory to Yugi and his friends. They did not need to know what had happened.

Seto felt as if they had exchanged something in that duel. Some kind of understanding had passed between the duelists. He could see himself in the psychotic swordsman. He could not explain why, but even then he had been fascinated by him. Amelda fascinated Seto to an extreme. The brunette fervently desired to probe the very depths of Amelda's soul and learn every secret, flaw, and mystery. He yearned to know Amelda intimately.

Seto did not place people upon pedestals. But there was something about his lover that demanded an almost reverence. _Or perhaps it's just love…_

Through the open door entered his younger brother, who felt it was safe now that it had been quiet for some time. Seto felt a mixed pang of annoyance and amusement as he observed his otouto's wide, expressive eyes.

"Wow," Mokuba remarked loudly, waking Amelda. "I've never seen Onii-chan sleep on his back before." He moved over to the side where Amelda now lay awake. "Did you two have sex?" Mokuba asked pointedly, observing their naked bodies that were half hidden beneath the sheets.

Amelda rolled over onto his stomach. "What's it to you?" he mumbled. Mokuba's face lit up. Seto could feel his insides twist into knots as he blushed. Amelda sighed and glanced at Seto, indicating that it was Nii-sama's responsibility to respond properly to Mokuba.

His younger brother stared at him expectantly. "Yes," Seto answered simply. "Now get out." Mokuba did not move, but his eyes and smile widened to an unreal extent. Seto covered his face with a hand. "I don't want to discuss it with you, Mokuba," he said firmly, blushing beet red; his hand burned from the heat. "It's none of your business." Mokuba twisted his mouth, evidently thinking. "Get out, Mokuba," Seto repeated.

"What if you were to answer one question for me?" the raven-haired youth inquired. "I will promise to leave you alone and not ask another question if you do."

"Forget it!" Seto said firmly. "I know what you are going to ask. I'm not going to answer." He poked the redhead in the back. "And neither will you!"

"But Nii-sama!" Mokuba protested.

"I will not repeat myself again," Seto whispered warningly as the color drained from his face. His cold eyes fixed upon his younger brother, trying to force him to leave.

Amelda snorted with laughter. He rolled back over, glanced at Seto's stoney expression, and looked at Mokuba seriously. "Don't worry about it, kiddo" he said. "It's not that important."

"That doesn't answer my question," Mokuba said, still grinning. "You know what I mean, Onii-chan!"

"I told you before, kiddo," Amelda said sweetly, "I'm _always _top." Seto buried himself under the sheets to avoid his brother's gaze.

Mokuba laughed. "I was not sure what to expect," he remarked. "Good night. See you in the morning!" He walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"Why do you never listen to me?" Seto asked Amelda from under the sheet.

* * *

Author's Note: This is a bit difficult to explain in the narrative, so I'll explain here. Denser muscles mean same size but more power. So, Seto and Amelda look as if they might be the same strength, but they aren't. Also, Amelda is drawn differently in the episodes he's featured in. In the first duel, he looks to be the same body type and size as Seto, but in the second duel, he looks thinner. I opt for the first duel look and explain the second duel look with that he probably stopped eating out of anxiety. There's no evidence for this – I'm just making it up. 


	27. Nightmare!

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

Disclaimer: I don't own any part or whole of Yu-Gi-Oh.

Chapter 27

In the dead of night something was bringing Seto painfully out of his deep sleep. His brain felt fuzzy, confused by his surroundings. _I'm in bed_, he realized. _But this isn't a dream._ _Is it an earthquake? _The bed was shaking, but nothing else in the room appeared to be. He turned over to see if Amelda had woken, too. The redhead's eyes were sealed shut, and he was violently twisting and cringing. _He must be having a nightmare_, Seto realized. And he tried to go back to sleep.

Soft moans and sobs cut into Seto's attempts to sleep. He opened his eyes yet again and turned over to try and wake his boyfriend. "Amelda!" he called. "Cut it out; it's just a nightmare." He was disgusted that his efforts had no affect. "Amelda!" he called again, louder this time. He grabbed the redhead by the shoulders and shook him hard to no avail. He was getting really frustrated now.

"_Moj malen majmun_!" Amelda cried. "_Moj malen brat; ja je propustila te_!" He started to scream with a voice so filled with anguish it even made Seto cringe. "_Žao mi je_! _Žao mi je_! _Žao mi je_! Miruko!" Big tears soaked the red locks, dampening the pillow beneath as well. He shook violently, racked with sobs, almost hysterical. The screams would stop, and they got worst. "_Žao mi je_! "_Žao mi je_! _Žao mi je_! _Žao mi je_! Miruko! _Žao mi je_! _Žao mi je_!"

Seto had enough. _Smack_! But Amelda did not even seem to feel it. Aggravation mounted, but rising from the pits of his stomach, so did panic. _What do I do? _He got out of bed and strode swiftly to his younger brother's room. _Mokuba had spent a whole month with him, so he should know, right?_

"Mokuba," he called, shaking him awake. "Get up! I need your help, now!"

"What the…?" Mokuba asked groggily. "Nii-sama? What's wrong?" He rubbed his eyes as he sat upright.

"It's Amelda," Seto said quickly. "He's trapped in some nightmare. I think it's about his otouto. I don't know what to do. Tell me, Mokuba."

Mokuba blinked at him slowly, his brain still half asleep. "Nii-sama," he replied carefully, "there's nothing you can do. I've tried everything from dousing him in cold water to slapping his face. It never works."

"What?" Seto responded, disbelievingly. "That can't be!"

"It is," said Mokuba, sadly. "Is this the first time he's had a nightmare while sharing a bed with you?"

"Yes," Seto replied, uncertain about the validity of the question. "How often did he suffer them with you?"

"Almost every night!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Maybe your presence has some sort of calming effect." He hopped out of bed and ran to Onii-chan. Seto followed at a quick pace.

Amelda had curled up into a fetal position on his side. His knees were drawn to his chin, and he was completely quiet. "Uh-oh," Mokuba said.

"What is it?" Nii-sama demanded, standing behind him.

Mokuba turned around to face his older brother. "I've never seen this before," he replied nervously. "I don't know if this is good or bad!"

Seto swallowed. "Ano, at least he's quiet. I can go back to sleep now."

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried, panicked. "This is bad!"

"You just said you didn't know!"

"How can it be good?" Mokuba wailed. "Nobody curls up into a ball when they're happy!"

"He'll be all right," Seto tried to reassure Mokuba as he settled himself beneath the sheets. But he had his doubts, too. "Go back to bed. Don't make me tell you twice, because you won't get a third."

Mokuba knew not to reckon with the finality in his older brother's orders. He slumped off to his bedroom, giving his nii-sama one last desperate look before closing the door behind him.

Feeling extremely uneasy, Seto did not consider falling back asleep. He swept away the wet strands that clung to Amelda's face. He tried picking Amelda up, but only succeeded in rolling him over off the bed. Astonished, he clambered out quickly to find that he was still stone quiet and rolled up into a ball. The uneasiness ballooned inside him.

"Amelda?" he called. He picked him up, using better leverage now that he was standing, dropped him back onto the bed, and tried forcing Amelda's legs to straighten. It had no effect; he might as well have been a bronze statue. Seto sat beside him, rubbing his back in an effort to try and relax him. Nothing seem to work.

Now the CEO was extremely worried. Wild thoughts that Amelda might be stuck like this for the rest of his life began to creep into his mind. His common sense argued with this, but that annoying voice of doubt would not shut up. Seto considered locating Amelda's cell phone to see if he could call Raphael or Varon to help him. _Surely they would know what to do_, he reasoned. But he did not want to look weak, asking for help when it did not seem that necessary. _It's not like it's an emergency._ In the end, Seto fell asleep curled up against Amelda, his arms spooning him in a protective embrace.

_

* * *

_

He woke up when the alarm went off, but the redhead did not. "Come on!" he exclaimed. "Wake up, Amelda! It's not Monday! You've no excuse for sleeping in!" He shook him. Nothing. "Great!" Seto muttered bitterly.

Mokuba came into the room still in his pajamas. "Onii-chan?" He crawled onto the bed over to where they were. "Onii-chan?" Amelda's eyes did not even flutter. Mokuba let out a small whimper of protest. "Nii-sama! What do we do?" he implored.

Seto lost his patience completely. "I don't know!" he yelled. He could not understand why Amelda was acting this way. Seto had suffered through his childhood. He had painful memories, too. But he never acted this way. Granted, Amelda witnessed two years of bloody warfare, while Seto was abused in his gilded cage.

"I'm calling Raphael," Mokuba said.

"No, you're going to school," Seto commanded. He stood up and walked out of the bedroom into Amelda's den. _Where's that cell?_ He surveyed the mess upon the desk, shuffling through it. He searched high and low for it. Mokuba came into the room, helping him search. Seto gave him a stern look.

"I'm not going to school, today," Mokuba said. "Not when Onii-chan needs help. I love him, Nii-sama. It would kill me if anything were to happen."

"He's just asleep," Seto replied, trying to instill some calm in his voice. "He'll wake up. It's not as if he had been hit by a car." They spent an hour and thirty minutes searching for Amelda's cell phone. The phone in Seto's study rang, and he went to answer it.

"Good morning, Kaiba-sama," his secretary said cheerfully. "Will you be coming into work late today?" Seto glanced at the clock on the wall and then down at his pajamas. He had forgotten about work. He had not dressed or eaten breakfast.

"Uh… no," he replied. "That is… I'm not sure if I'll be coming in at all today. Postpone any meetings I have until tomorrow, and tell Isono to take care of the usual. I have to go now." And he hung up before she could say good bye.

"Atta! I found it!" Mokuba said wildly, running into the study.

"Great!" Seto replied. He flipped it open, located the list of numbers, and dialed Raphael.

It rang five times before a small, female voice answered in English, "Hello?"

"I'm calling for Raphael; is he there?" Seto asked in Japanese, vaguely wondering who she was.

"Hello!" she replied. "Who is this?"

Seto realized that she could not be more than two. Guessing correctly, he said in English, "Could you please put your daddy on the phone? It's important."

"Daddy's at work now," she informed in her little girl's voice. "You talk funny!"

"Is your mommy there?" he asked, hoping to reach a sensible adult.

"Mommy!" she yelled. By the sound of it, she barely had moved the receiver away from her mouth. Seto's ear throbbed.

"Hello?" came another voice, still female, but deeper. "May I ask who's calling please?"

"Seto Kaiba," he answered without hesitation. "Listen - I'm calling from Japan. I need to speak with Raphael. Can you give me his work number? It's urgent!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't give you his work number. May I take a message?"

Seto hung up, irritated at the lack of help. He could understand why she would be reluctant to hand out phone numbers to what she assumed was a total stranger. Still, he was furious.

Amelda walked into the room, giving the Kaiba brothers a puzzled look. They both returned his stare with wide eyes of surprise. "What's going on?" he asked mildly.

Seto stood stock still, torn between kissing him and killing him. "Kisama!" he snarled. "_Now _you wake up?"

Amelda yawned widely. "It's not that late," he said sleepily. He glanced at Mokuba. "Shouldn't you be in school already?" He looked inquiringly at the pair of them still in their pajamas.

Amelda's cell phone rang. He strode forward to answer it, giving Seto a suspicious look. "Moshi-moshi."

"Amelda?" Raphael inquired. "My wife just called me and told me Seto Kaiba was asking for me. Apparently he hung up when she asked if he wanted to leave a message. What's going on?"

"I don't know," Amelda answered. He scrutinized his boyfriend. "He had my cell in his hand when I woke up this morning. He seems upset about something."

Seto grabbed the phone from Amelda. "I'm sorry for disturbing you and your family," he said formally. "I over-reacted to a situation earlier, but it's now under control."

"What situation?" Raphael inquired with concern.

Seto hesitated. He felt foolish, but the truth was better than a lie. "Amelda wouldn't wake up this morning."

Anyone but Raphael would not have understood the severity of the statement. Varon usually slept in until noon when he had worked with them, so even he would not have understood. "What happened?" Raphael asked.

Seto gave a brief summary of the nightmare and how Amelda would not respond to anything Seto did. Raphael seemed to be taking it all in. "Well, you did the right thing," he said slowly. "But I've seen worse. The problem is that we can't take him to a psychiatrist, because no one will believe that a 10, 000 year old lunatic single-handedly corrupted his life. Next time, what you should do is-"

Amelda grabbed the phone out of Seto's hand at that critical moment. "Amelda!" Seto protested. "He was going to tell me something important!"

Amelda scoffed. "Don't make such a big deal out of it," he muttered acerbically. "You're acting as if I'm some sort of mental patient!" It was obvious that he was deeply sensitive about the subject. He talked into the cell phone. "Thanks for your concern, Raphael, but everything's fine here. Don't worry about it. I'll call you sometime this weekend. Bye!" And he hung up before his friend could respond. "Don't _ever _call Raphael again!" he hissed at Seto menacingly.

Seto swelled up with the indignity. "Amelda! It was for your own good! Mokuba and I were worried! It was like you were in a coma or something."

The apathetic redhead tutted, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "I never knew you were such a softie," he said in a low, taunting voice.

"Are you _trying _to pick a fight?" Seto asked in a warning tone. "You must be insane."

Amelda flared up. Seto was knocked to the floor before he knew what hit him. "Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried, running over to assist his fallen brother. Seto grabbed the back of his head, which was bleeding because he had hit it on the side of the desk when he went down.

"I am NOT _insane_!" Amelda shrieked, sounding just the opposite. His eyes glinted like knives. "How _dare _you? How dare you take my sorrow and pain and morph it into something like _insanity_? Giving it a label like _that _just because you don't understand! I am not _helpless_!" He fell to his knees, shaking in grief and anger. "Nana always understood! She was the only one who did. And now I have no one…"

"What about Raphael and Varon?" Seto asked heatedly. "What about Mokuba and me? Do we mean nothing to you?"

Amelda looked at him with a pained expression of love. "You mean everything to me. All of you do. But you proved that you don't understand me by blanketing my problems under "insanity." You think I'm _weak_, don't you?"

_At the moment, yes_, Seto thought miserably. By his silent reply Amelda knew what Seto was thinking. He snarled at him, stood up, and departed with wings on his heels. "Nii-sama," Mokuba said, tentatively. "What are you going to do?"

"Find a first-aid kit," Seto stated with a heavy heart, fingering the back of his head.

"What about Onii-chan?" Mokuba asked, his voice laden with worry.

"I'll talk to him once he's calmed down," Seto replied, thinking it over. "Get dressed Mokuba. Then, go get yourself some breakfast. Don't worry about school. I'll call them and say you're sick."

"Thanks," Mokuba murmured. He left, and Seto went into the bathroom to attend his wounded scalp.

_

* * *

_

The first place Seto checked for Amelda was the garage to see if he had left the house. Both the car and the motorcycle were there. _Good, he's still home_, Seto confirmed. He searched throughout the mansion. After twenty minutes of not finding the feisty redhead, he asked a passing servant if she had seen him. She said he was in the kitchen, cooking.

Seto shook his head, not bothering to understand why. Nevertheless, he went downstairs to the kitchen, past the galley, into the more open section with a marble-top island. He ducked as a cast-iron skillet sailed over his head, crashed into the framed ponytail, and shattered glass everywhere. "Still angry?" he asked an enraged pacifist. The redhead chucked the bag of flour he was holding, making his aim true. It smashed right into the pajama-clad CEO's chest, sending flour in all directions. Seto was coated in white powder. He coughed slightly as Amelda picked up a copper wok threateningly. "I'd rather you didn't throw that," Seto said calmly. "The chef won't be happy."

"I do most of the cooking around here!" Amelda yelled as if this justified the matter.

"Only because you let Mokuba talk you into it. You don't have to trouble yourself just to please him."

"_Trouble myself_? Is it too much for my fragile soul to _cook_?" Amelda returned, dripping with sarcasm. "I'm NOT _weak_, Seto! After everything I've been through, I should be dead! I live each day with the knowledge that I failed Miruko. He _died _because of me! And yet I manage to live on. I moved here without anyone. I built Bishonen-ai from scrap! Now I'm a huge success. I have friends, employees who respect me, and a boyfriend who…"

"A boyfriend who loves you," Seto finished for him. He observed Amelda's features for a reaction. It was like watching the winter snow melt into spring. The redhead blinked, trying to absorb what he had just been told. Seto felt that it was now safe to approach him. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled the copper wok out of his boyfriend's grasp and sat it down on the counter next to them.

"Say that again," Amelda whispered, smiling in ecstasy.

"I love you, Amelda," Seto stated, cupping his chin, and smiling himself. "I told you that I could learn to love you. What I've discovered this morning is the true meaning behind what Yugi had told me. I will never stop learning. It _is _a daily effort - a daily adventure. There will always be something new to learn about you, and that fascinates me. I want to spend the rest of my life learning how to love you."


	28. Yugi'tachi

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: My tongue will fall out if I have to say, "I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh" one more time!

Chapter 28

"Absence of proof does not mean proof of absence," Mokuba stated. "That's something I learned about my nii-sama when I returned home."

"Explain that to me," Jonouchi requested. Jonouchi, Yugi, Honda, Miho, and Shizuka had come to visit Mokuba. They wanted to hear what had happened while he was away, especially since they had put so much effort into trying to find him. Jonouchi also felt that they deserved some kind of small reward for their efforts.

Mokuba had been all too happy to invite them in. Nii-sama had disappeared somewhere inside the large mansion, and Onii-chan was in Osaka with some friends. Mokuba had been bored. Now, he played the good host, serving his friends green chai and cookies in the parlor. He had managed to avoid answering any questions that might lead to Amelda. So far, Yugi-tachi (7) did not know about the redhead's involvement or his current relationship to Kaiba.

"I'm sorry, Jonouchi, but I can't really explain it," Mokuba said sincerely. "It has to do with something that I'm not at liberty to discuss."

Now Jonouchi was really intrigued. "Come on, tell me!"

Mokuba turned to everyone in general. "Thank you all for your concern for me," he said formally. "I really appreciate that you went through such lengths to find me, even though I wasn't in danger."

"We didn't know that!" Honda exclaimed. "Jonouchi told me how sick with worry your brother was!"

"Yeah, I was trapped in an elevator with him for three hours!" Jonouchi expounded. "You should have heard him, Mokuba! It's a side to Kaiba I'd never seen before."

"Kaiba-kun visited me in the middle of the night!" Yugi added. "We had an _unusual _conversation."

"He visited Otogi-san in Black Clown!" Miho added. "Otogi-san told me all about it. He said to tell you to come visit him for another round of DDM."

"How come Otogi didn't join us?" Honda asked.

Miho shrugged. "He said something about going on a date. And you know he hasn't had one in a while."

"Speaking of girlfriends; Nii-san, how come Crystal didn't join us?" Shizuka inquired.

"Uh," Jonouchi said carefully, "she said that if she came she would kick Kaiba in the…" He stopped and looked at Mokuba. "Ano, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty."

"Who is Ku-ri-tsu?" Mokuba demanded, his tongue stumbling over the name. "How dare she wants to hurt Nii-sama!"

"Ku-ri-tsu? Your English pronunciation needs work, Mokuba," Jonouchi replied, a tad annoyed. "It's _Crystal_."

Mokuba stuck out his tongue at Jonouchi in aggravation. "I learned a lot of English over the summer!" he proclaimed. "Onii-chan has been the best tutor and cook ever!" He clapped his hands over his mouth as if he'd said something shameful.

Five pairs of eyes looked inquiringly at their young friend. "Onii-chan?" Yugi queried. "Who is that?"

"No one!" Mokuba squeaked. "How's the tea? Would anyone like some more? I'll get some more!" And he ran off to the kitchen, leaving them completely puzzled.

"I wonder what got into him," Honda commented, scratching his chin.

"He's hiding something!" Jonouchi concluded. "It's obvious! We know he's not talking about Kaiba; he never refers to _him _like that."

"What does it matter?" Miho asked. "It's not our business."

"Ano, that may be true," Yugi said. "But that's why it's so interesting. What's Mokuba-kun got to hide?"

"He's covering for Kaiba!" Jonouchi alleged (correctly). "That little guy is incapable of deceit. It has to be Kaiba!"

Everyone else looked at him skeptically. "You have absolutely no proof," Honda pointed out. "How can you come up with that? Did you forget what Mokuba did at Duelist Kingdom?"

Jonouchi ignored this. "Where _is _Kaiba? Why hasn't he come to thank us for all our hard work?" he prompted.

"Jonouchi-kun," Yugi reasoned, "it's _Kaiba-kun_. Do you really expect him to be so nice?"

"We deserve it!" Jonouchi affirmed, his fist clenched before him emphatically. "I demand that he get his rich butt down here and-" He stopped. Mokuba had returned with a pot of tea.

_

* * *

_

Amelda returned home, dismounted his motorcycle, and removed his helmet. His friends had gotten roudy and suggested that they all play strip poker. Normally, Amelda would have participated; but because of loyalty to new boyfriend, he politely declined. He wanted Seto. He wanted Seto _now_. He called the CEO on his cell as he walked up the stairs to the second floor living room. As he had passed the parlor, he had noticed a group of familiar faces.

Needless to say, the disgruntled Seto did not like his work being interrupted. He came from the hologram workshop that was in the basement. Climbing two flights of stairs, he reached his destination.

"You wanted to see me, Amelda?" Seto inquired as he stepped into the second floor living room. He noticed that the lights were low and the curtains were drawn shut. The mischievous smile upon his lover could only mean one thing.

"Close the door," Amelda instructed. "Lock it."

"It doesn't lock," Seto replied, shutting it. He casually approached the redhead. "What do you want?"

There was a gleam in his eyes that did not seem to be a reflection of the dim light. Amelda said nothing, he merely just took what he wanted. They came together like magnets, kissing passionately. Seto shoved Amelda onto a nearby _choba dansu_, (25) pinning him roughly against the wall behind him. The amorous redhead wrapped his legs around the horny brunette's waist, pulling their pelvises close together.

"Care to play my flute?" (26) Amelda kinkily suggested.

"In the living room?" Seto asked, incredulous. "Mokuba could walk in on us!"

Amelda gave him an exasperated sigh. "He's downstairs, entertaining some friends. He's not coming up here." Seto still looked skeptical. Amelda lost his patience and just shoved the brunette head downwards.

_

* * *

_

The raven-haired teen sat the teapot down upon the table and locked eyes with Jonouchi. "What were you saying?"

"Where's your brother? We want to see him!"

Mokuba shrugged. "He's home, but I don't know where exactly."

"Let's go on a Kaiba-hunt!" Jonouchi suggested forcefully, grinning.

"It would give us a chance to see more of this beautiful home," Shizuka added. Miho nodded in agreement.

"Jonouchi, you're a genius!" Honda agreed. "Let's go! How about it, Mokuba?"

Mokuba thought it sounded like fun. "It'll be like Hide & Seek!" he gleefully replied without thinking of the consequences. "Un! Let's go!" They all emptied out of the parlor into the hallway. "Check the _washitsu_," (7) Mokuba instructed. Yugi slid the _fusuma _open. (7) He shook his head to say that Seto was not inside. "Maybe we can try the first floor living room."

"How many washitsu do you have?" Honda asked.

"Just two," Mokuba answered. "One for formal occasions and one for meditation and calligraphy."

"How many living rooms do you have?" Yugi asked as he followed the young Kaiba down the hall.

"Just two," Mokuba answered. "The one on the first floor is considered my hangout spot. Nii-sama usually haunts the upstairs one. I figure we'll check this one first, since we're on the first floor."

Everyone nodded in agreement. "You don't think he might be in the kitchen, do you?" Jonouchi queried.

Mokuba glanced back at him. "I doubt it, Jonouchi. But if you're that hungry I can ask the chef to make you something. He doesn't get to cook much anymore."

"Really? Why's that?" Miho inquired politely.

Mokuba grinned sheepishly. "I sort of found another cook who's supplanted him," he vaguely informed. "Nii-sama hasn't fired the first one, yet."

"Oh," was the unanimous reply. "How many rooms total do you have?" Shizuka asked.

"I don't remember," Mokuba said flatly. "Somewhere around 200, I think." There were a lot of whispers that followed this. "But Nii-sama only uses a few. It shouldn't be that hard to find him."

They reached the first floor living room, and it was easy to see why Mokuba preferred this one. The furniture was cushy. There was a small refrigerator and a very large widescreen TV. Jonouchi noted that all the latest video game consoles in personalized colors were hooked up along with a DVD player. There was a bookshelf that housed a collection of video games and movies that all seem to suit Mokuba's tastes.

"This room isn't very pretty," Miho said tactlessly.

"Who cares about pretty?" Mokuba asked her. He grinned. "Nii-sama calls this room my second bedroom. I'd sleep here if he'd let me."

The guys laughed. "Ano, I wonder how different the upstairs living room is if this one's yours and that one's his," Jonouchi pondered aloud.

They searched the other rooms on the first floor systematically. Mokuba ran downstairs quickly to see if his nii-sama was working on his project in the workroom. He ran back upstairs to find that the group of friends had meandered up to the second floor. They stood at the large, open landing facing three halls. "Which way do we go?" Yugi asked.

Jonouchi was looking at the door nearest them. "What's behind here?" he asked as Mokuba approached.

"That's the second floor living room," Mokuba informed.

The whole group moved forward, Mokuba just trailing behind. Jonouchi opened the door and walked partway in, stopped, and started to back out while covering Shizuka's eyes. Yugi pulled Jonouchi's younger sister to the back and moved forward, closing ranks with Honda and Jonouchi. The three guys blocked the view of the two girls and short Mokuba. He stood behind the group, trying to push his way forward.

Amelda had seen them, but Seto had not. He was on his knees, his head in Amelda's lap. He only stopped fellating his lover when he heard the sound of the door close. "Please tell me that wasn't Mokuba," he said, looking up at the redhead.

"It wasn't Mokuba," Amelda replied truthfully for he could not see the little guy behind a shocked Yugi, an appalled Jonouchi, and an incredulous Honda. The tall blonde had closed the door without a word, the expression on his face clearly stating his wish to not be involved.

Seto did not like the mixed expressions upon Amelda's countenance. Seto stood up. "Who was it? A servant?"

Amelda blinked, unable to reply. "I'll tell you when you've finished," he said, pointing down.

Behind the door, Mokuba was pushing people. "What's going on?" he demanded. He noticed the door was shut again, and he made to open it. Honda grabbed him.

"Forget it," Jonouchi replied forcefully. "You don't want to know."

"Yes I do!" Mokuba yelled. Seto could hear his brother beyond the door. "This is my house! I demand you let me go, Honda!" He squirmed, trying to free himself.

Seto turned white. He looked to Amelda's guilty face for confirmation and received it. A low moan escaped him. "This can't be happening," he said mournfully. "Did they see me?"

"On your knees giving me a blow job, yes," Amelda said. If Seto did not look so distraught, he would have found the situation funny. "I'll be in the bathroom taking care of this," he informed, indicating his forsaken erection. "Good luck." And he disappeared into the annexed bathroom before Seto could scowl at him.

The proud CEO gripped the choba dansu for support, inhaling a few, deep breaths to try and stiffen his resolve. He could feel his face burning now with embarressment. He had no idea what he was going to say to the lot of them. He made a mental note to forbid Mokuba from inviting Yugi or his geeky friends ever again, not realizing that they had invited themselves over. He did not know whether to pretend that nothing had happened, or to confront them with the truth. _Where's your conviction? _Amelda's voice echoed in his mind. He remembered the heartache his silence caused the redhead. It seemed he had no choice. He calmed himself down, forcing the blood to retreat from his face and his hands to stop shaking. With a firm conviction and a stiff resolution, he walked out of the living room to confront the guests.

* * *

**A/N:** Another cliffhanger! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha! Next chapter: Seto is out of the closet! 


	29. Out of the Closet

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, because I'm not Kazuki Takahashi! _That lucky guy…_

Chapter 29

Six pairs of eyes turned onto Seto as he walked out of the living room and into the hallway. He was not literally coming out of a closet, but it sure felt that way. Much to his relief, no one was smiling. Mokuba appeared to not understand why the atmosphere was so heavy. But he stopped struggling, and Honda let him go. "What's wrong, Nii-sama?" he asked, worried.

Seto did not answer him directly. "All of you should come in here," he said in a hollow voice, gesturing to the living room behind him. The older guys looked apprehensive, but Mokuba and the girls ambled in without a second thought. Since there were no screams, Yugi, Jonouchi, and Honda concluded that it must be safe. They walked briskly past Seto, avoiding eye contact. The CEO followed them in and closed the door behind him. Everyone found somewhere to sit and waited patiently for Seto to explain himself. The guys noticed that the redhead was nowhere to be seen.

Seto was not sure where to begin. Even though his legs felt weak, he would not sit down. He decided to address Mokuba's question first. "There's nothing wrong, Mokuba," he said, "except for the fact that your friends have intruded upon my privacy." His younger brother's eyes widened in alarm. He knew that meant trouble for everyone and was vaguely wondering how to wiggle himself out of it. Seto turned to the group in general. "This is my house, and I am permitted to do as I wish. I will not apologize for my actions. If you are Mokuba's guests, then you are my guests, too. I expect you all to behave accordingly."

Silence. The guys looked at the floor, unsure of how to respond. Miho spoke up. "I'm sorry. Did we do something wrong?" she inquired. Neither she nor Shizuka had seen what Seto had been doing.

The CEO scrutinized her momentarily. He replied, "I would like to say 'yes,' but even I'm not sure if that's correct."

Mokuba was shocked. _Is that my nii-sama? No one invades Nii-sama's privacy and gets away with it… _He thought for a moment. _My plans **have** affected him!_

Seto glanced around the room in general. "As you now know, Amelda and I are lovers. He has been living with me for almost a month. When Mokuba ran away from home, he had gone to stay with Amelda, figuring correctly that I would never look for him there. When Amelda returned my brother to me, we started dating, and one thing led to another."

More silence. Mokuba surveyed the others for their reactions. They seemed to be taking it pretty well. Yugi was biting his lip, and Honda was picking at a small hole in his jeans. Jonouchi recovered first. "I can't believe that you're gay," he said flatly. "I know what I saw, but you are the last person I would suspect. Bakura, yeah… But you?"

"I'm surprised that it is with that Doom guy who tried to kill you," Honda supplied. "Didn't he cause millions of yen in damages to your airplane?"

_He's right_, Seto realized. _That bastard owes me!_ He shrugged nonchalantly as if this was insignificant. "Amelda had his reasons for trying to steal my soul. They may have been misplaced - but since I thought otherwise - I didn't blame him. I don't hold any of it against him."

"That's nice of you," Miho said, astonished.

"It has nothing to do with being _nice_," Seto replied coldly. He folded his arms, feeling more secure with himself.

Yugi decided that it was time to speak up. He had not forgotten their last conversation, and he was wondering if that had any affect on his reluctant friend. "Kaiba-kun," he asked politely but pointedly. "Do you remember anything about our last conversation?"

"Every bit of it," Seto answered flatly, forging eye contact. "I'm making good use of your advice, if that is what you want to know."

"What about mine?" Jonouchi immediately inquired.

Seto did not move or flinch, but his eyes locked onto him. "Yes," he stated.

Jonouchi waited expectantly for more, but nothing more was said. "What? You want a trophy or something?" Seto asked sarcastically.

"Ah," Jonouchi said, smiling. "I knew you hadn't changed! I always thought gay guys were supposed to be sensitive and all. You're living proof that's not always so!"

Amelda entered from the annexed bathroom and noticed immediately the room was not vacant as he had presumed. He made to slip back into the bathroom, but Seto had spotted him and called out, "Join us, Amelda. Don't be shy." The redhead glared at him, but he reluctantly strode over to sit next to Mokuba. Unnoticed by anyone, Miho gaped at the dancer in disbelief.

Mokuba turned to Amelda and queried, "Why were you hiding in there, Onii-chan? I expected you to be more open than Nii-sama about being caught… whatever it was you were doing."

Amelda gave him a one-arm hug and cajoled, "I was not hiding; I was taking care of unfinished business." Jonouchi snorted with laughter before he could stop himself. Seto blushed slightly, but no one noticed as everyone now stared at the redhead incredulously. Enjoying the attention, Amelda remarked, "What did you expect?" The cheshire-cat smile widened delightedly.

"I have to ask," Jonouchi began, "why on Earth would you be _Kaiba's _boyfriend? I know a very nice gay guy. He would be a much better choice than _him_." Jonouchi indicated the glowering CEO. "His name's Ryou Bakura. I don't believe you've met him."

Amelda paled. Seto was taken aback by this reaction. "You know Bakura?" he asked his boyfriend.

Amelda shook his head _no_, burning with guilt. He gazed squarely into Jonouchi's sienna eyes. "I _love _Seto. I don't care what you think of him or my taste in guys - but don't insult him in front of me."

Jonouchi shrugged. Yugi spoke up in his friend's defense, "It's not really an insult, Amelda-kun. Kaiba-kun is known for his self-centered, inconsiderate behavior."

Amelda laughed. Seto smirked. He could not deny that there was truth in Yugi's statement, but he had changed considerably over the summer. "Where Amelda is concerned, Yugi, I am very considerate. Furthermore, Amelda is… Let's just say you don't know him. Don't be so judgmental of me without understanding Amelda's behavior, too."

"I am not self-centered or inconsiderate!" Amelda defended, eyes narrowed in rising anger. "How dare you!"

"I didn't say you were," Seto replied calmly, smirking.

"Then what were you saying about me?" Amelda snarled.

Seto sighed silently. "You aren't perfect. I just don't think that they should view you as if you're the innocent one in the relationship. If anything, I've suffered more at your sharp tongue and sadistic behavior than you have of me."

Amelda stiffened with dignity. But his cool attitude broke when he grinned heartily. "You're right," he conceded, laughing softly.

"I guess you don't hold it against him that he beat you, taking your soul," Honda commented.

The redhead stared across to Honda. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "I let him win!"

"You did not!" Seto responded heatedly.

"I did, too!" Amelda yelled back. "I gave up my last turn, remember? If I hadn't done that, I could have defeated you! Admit it!"

"It's your own fault if you chose to give up your turn! I still won," Seto expounded.

"I didn't say that you didn't," Amelda said, perplexed. He closed his eyes in mock self-righteousness. "I was merely explaining to Yugi's friend here that I did not lose because I was an inferior duelist."

Seto almost contradicted his lover, but he thought better of it. "There is an easy way to solve this," he boasted. "I'll take you up on a rematch any time you want."

Amelda obviously did not have this in mind. "Ano, I don't know what I did with my duel disk. I might have left it in Knin." He scratched the back of his head, pretending innocence.

"Sure you did," Seto smirked. The company started to snicker and laugh under their breaths. Seto was pleased that they were on his side, but it also reminded him that they were still there. The CEO addressed the room at large. "Any more questions? If not, you can go home now. You've worn out your welcome."

"I have a question," Amelda said, raising his hand as if they were in school.

"You don't count."

"What? I live here!"

"Exactly. You can ask me later. Anyone else?"

"Yeah," Jonouchi replied. "How long have you known you were gay?" He thought of the three hours he had spent trapped with him in the pitch black elevator.

"Only about a week before I started dating Amelda," Seto answered.

Mokuba's interest peaked. "But I was still gone at that time," he said, curiously. "What happened to make you realize that you're gay, Nii-sama?"

"I went to Amelda's place of business," Seto replied, realizing too late that it sounded wrong. The guys smirked at him and the girls giggled.

But Mokuba knew what he was talking about. Not understanding the concept of being discreet, he rhetorically asked, "You mean Bishonen-ai?"

There were a few startled gulps as everyone stared at either Mokuba, Seto, or Amelda. Miho blushed furiously, and Shizuka asked her what the matter was. She shook her head in denial. Jonouchi grinned. "What is Bishonen-ai, Miho?" he queried in a teasing tone.

"I don't know," she lied. "I've never been there." She stood up and gave a brief bow. "Thank you for your hospitality, Kaiba-kun, but I'm afraid I have to go home now." Without further ado, she walked swiftly out the door and out of sight.

Turning to Amelda, Jonouchi demanded, "What's Bishonen-ai?"

Looking to his boyfriend for a cue, Amelda could tell by Seto's cold glare that if he answered that question, Seto would kill him. He faced Jonouchi. "It's a theater-club that features bishonen dancers," he informed.

Jonouchi's nose turned pink. _I hope Crystal's never been there_, he thought. _My girlfriend does spend a lot of time with my sister and Miho while I'm at school. _He looked at Shizuka. "Please tell me that you've never been there," he pleaded. "And that Crystal hasn't either." (A/N)

Shizuka put a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "I've never even heard of it," she said. "But I don't know about your girlfriend."

"Any more questions?" Seto intervened. "Because you can all go home now." Every one exchanged glances. They all had a thousand questions, but they knew better than to test Kaiba's tolerance level, especially after that stunt Amelda just pulled. "One more thing before you all leave," Seto informed them. "Don't tell anyone that Amelda is living with me, that he's my boyfriend, and that I'm gay. I don't want this going public. It's bad enough that _you guys _know."

Mokuba did not tell Nii-sama that Isono also knew. He knew that Isono would not betray his boss, so he felt that it would not hurt Seto to not be informed.

"You can count on us, Kaiba," Jonouchi said, "even if you don't believe in the power of friendship yet."

"I put that power to the test once," Seto replied, smirking, "and it failed! Vivian followed me to Yugi's house!"

"That was funny!" Yugi exclaimed before he could stop himself. An icy glare fell upon him. "What, Kaiba-kun? I saw the whole thing outside my window."

Mokuba laughed. He remembered Vivian's apologetic email. "Yeah, she did say she was sorry," he informed his brother. Everyone looked at him. "I was the one who set Nii-sama up on that date!" he confessed. "She was emailing me thinking I was him!"

A look of understanding passed around the room. "Ano, I think it's time we leave now," Yugi said, glancing at the steely expression upon the CEO. Yugi and his friends left in a hurry, thanking Mokuba for the cookies and tea, and expressing their collective relief that he was home safe and sound. The young Kaiba thanked them for visiting and asked them to come again soon while ignoring the glare from the older Kaiba.

After everyone left, Seto turned to his lover and his brother and said icily, "I'm going back downstairs to finish my work." And the two knew that translated into, 'Disturb me again and die!'

* * *

**Author's Note: **I forgot to put this sooner, but Crystal's an OC in my other fic, "**Over Yonder**." I tend to re-use OCs. I picked her name in this fic for Chapter 6 (before I started OY) because it's a hard name to pronounce in Japanese. I used her again when I started writing OY, and I decided to keep her! Don't use without permission. 


	30. Ugly

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: (Bashes head into wall, muttering darkly about disclaimers) I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 30

Seto's breath quickened as his lover increased his pace. Amelda propped himself up on his forearms. The scissor position was a favorite of Seto's, but the redhead found it difficult to maintain a more robust pace. "Are you okay?" he asked. The brunette nodded; his eyes were closed. "Open your eyes."

Seto complied. "I wish you wouldn't talk so much during sex," he said.

"There's nothing wrong with open communication," Amelda replied. "It's the key to better sex."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Then why don't you take your gloves off?" he asked. He had heard about lovers who did not remove their socks, but Amelda had the habit of not removing his gloves.

"You know why I wear them," Amelda said softly. He felt his energy depleting; and he slowed down, resting closer to the brunette's body. His face was so close he could see the fine details in the blue irises.

"Exactly," Seto replied. He gasped for a second, nearing climax. "I do know why you wear them. You don't have to hide anything from me."

Amelda could not reply. His breath was rapid, his muscles tensed, and he ejaculated a couple seconds later. He stayed inside his lover until it began to hurt, and then he removed himself with care. Seto moaned softly, and his body went limp. He had climaxed twice already, and he was not sure if he could handle a third. "Take off your gloves, Amelda," he said.

"What for? We're done." The redhead lay on his back beside his boyfriend. "It's amazing that I've lived here for over a month now," he commented.

"Nothing less than I expected," Seto replied confidently. "Take your gloves off, Amelda."

"No."

Seto rolled on top of his boyfriend, and he attempted to remove them by force. The redhead possessed astonishingly quick reflexes and denser, more powerful muscles than the CEO. Amelda had not only succeeded in retaining his gloves but managed to wriggle his way out from underneath as well. "I'm taking a shower," he announced dryly, removing his gloves only after he entered the bathroom.

Seto relaxed for a moment; then he got up to follow the reluctant redhead. "I don't understand you, Amelda," he said. "You walk around naked all the time! You know it drives me crazy. I can't understand how you can be so immodest, so blatantly confident in your sexuality, but so insecure about a few scars."

Amelda sighed as he turned on the shower tap. "It's more than 'a few,' and you know it," he said firmly. "I don't walk around naked, because I still wear my gloves."

The brunette gave a soft snort at the semantics. "It's ridiculous," Seto stated as he stepped inside to join him. "You shouldn't have it both ways. I tolerate your lack of modesty, but I can't tolerate this. Why do you do it? You know I know what your arms look like, and you know how I feel. Why, Amelda?"

"If you were as ugly as me you would feel the same way," Amelda replied, just barely audible over the splattering water.

Seto was dumbstruck. _Ugly? _he wondered. "You really confuse me sometimes," Seto said. "How can you be a _bishonen _dancer and _ugly_?"

"I wear gloves there, too." Amelda shrugged. He did not feel that the two were related.

Seto's jaw clenched in an effort to prevent himself from riddling Amelda with numerous insults. He took a deep breath to try and focus his thoughts, arranging them in a tactful manner. "Amelda," he said with a tone of finality, "you are not ugly."

Amelda looked at him curiously. "Yes, I am. I know it's just my arms, Seto, but these scars reflect who I am on the inside."

Seto grabbed Amelda by the shoulders and pulled him close forcefully. "You are not ugly, Amelda! Yes, your arms are ugly, but they don't mean that you are, too. These scars reflect your pain and sorrow. They reflect the darkness that preyed upon your soul. You cannot see yourself the way I do. You would need to be able to hold a mirror to your soul to see how beautiful it really is. You're wrong, Amelda. I would seriously question your intelligence if you still believe otherwise."

"Where's your proof?" Amelda asked. "There's no such mirror."

"I love you," Seto stated firmly. "There's my proof."

Amelda had to smile at his lover's reasoning. He had to admit to himself that Seto had a point. However, he was reluctant to concede as usual. He had always accepted his ugly side. It was a part of him like his past. He could see the subtle signs of pained exasperation on Seto's features, and he knew that he was hurting him. "I'm sorry, Seto," he said quietly. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Say 'I'm beautiful,'" Seto replied. "Say 'I am wrong; you are right. I'm really not ugly.'"

"I'm not going to say that," Amelda returned as he rinsed the conditioner out of his hair. He gave himself a final rinse and stepped out of the shower. Seto hurried to finish washing himself, too, so Amelda could not escape.

"There's no way this conversation is over!" Seto yelled as the redhead disappeared into the bedroom with a towel on his head. Two minutes later, the squeaky clean brunette scrambled into a terry cloth bathrobe and stormed into the bedroom. The room was empty. Scowling, he quickly dressed himself in his royal blue pajamas and a black kimono, slipped some loafers on his feet, and went to Mokuba's room first in search for his boyfriend. His younger brother's room was empty also, which meant he was downstairs playing video games.

Seto quickly searched the second floor, and strode down the stairs to the first floor living room. His assumption about his brother had been correct, and so had the hunch that Amelda had joined him. The redhead sat cross-legged on the floor next to his younger brother. "Yes?" the otouto inquired mildly as he entered the room.

"Mokuba, it's Thursday night. You have school tomorrow. Go to bed," Seto ordered.

The raven-haired teen ignored his nii-sama at first. His velvet eyes were fixated on the TV. "Don't worry, Nii-sama," he informed without turning to Seto. "This will only take a second." He pummeled the controller, making his character move onscreen. When he reached a safe spot to save the game, he did. He sighed heavily, disappointed his fun was cut short, and put everything away. "Sorry, Onii-chan. I guess we'll have to play later."

"You know, Seto, it isn't that late," Amelda said while observing Mokuba. "Why can't he stay up a little longer?"

Seto glared at Amelda. "Don't hide behind him to avoid talking to me," he said in just above a whisper.

Mokuba's eyes widened in surprise. He looked from Nii-sama to Onii-chan to see if what was said was true. Amelda gave him a sheepish grin and winked. "Come on, kiddo. Don't you want to stay up a little later? Aren't you tired of your nii-sama treating you like a child?"

The words sunk deep for Mokuba, and he looked to his nii-sama imploringly. Seto growled at the redhead for turning his brother against him. Seto made eye contact with Mokuba. "You can stay up for another hour, but go to your bedroom and get ready for bed. I have something to discuss with Amelda."

Mokuba knew better than to argue. He wanted to help his onii-chan, but he knew by Nii-sama's tone that the redhead was not in serious trouble. He stood up. "Good night, Onii-chan," he said, kissing him on top of the head. "Good night, Nii-sama." He hugged his brother quickly and ambled out of the room to go up the stairs.

"Amelda," Seto began, "you really know how to get under my skin, don't you?" His boyfriend did not reply. He stared at a spot on the floor, picking at the carpet absentmindedly. "I want you to understand that you are not ugly."

"This really bothers you, doesn't it?" Amelda queried with a note of concern, finally turning to him, and making eye contact. "Seto, get over it." He stood up and made to pass, but Seto grabbed him around the middle in a one-arm hug, holding him hostage. The pacifist did not struggle for freedom. Instead, he put his arms around Seto's silk clad shoulders with a catty smile and kissed him sweetly.

"Amelda, there are other things we have to discuss," Seto said, but his tone was softer than before. "You are stubborn and controlling. You say that you set these so-called "rules" to prevent me from controlling you, when all that you're doing is telling _me_ what to do. You say that being bottom is not the same thing as being uke, but I don't get to be top because you adamantly refuse to share. That's controlling, too. That makes you seme. I don't have any desire to control you-"

"Seto, only women babble this much," Amelda interrupted, kissing him again.

Seto's aggravation increased. _He's not listening!_ He pulled away from his boyfriend and guided them to the couch. He sat Amelda down and stood in front of him with his arms folded seriously. "Amelda, listen to me…"

"I'm listening," he replied airily. He blinked slowly, resigned to being lectured. "You're a lot like my nana," he remarked dryly, which went ignored.

"I learned a lot over the summer," Seto began, elaborating from the starting point. "I know that I should let you be as you are. I do. I gave you a room to keep all your stuff the way you like it." He shuddered slightly. "I can't understand your organization skills, or how you never seem to lose anything. Your hectic schedule, if it really is a _schedule_, doesn't really annoy me because I spend most of my time at work. I understand that you're job is demanding, but I don't really agree with your work philosophy. You hardly ever spend your own money, and you are more unlikely to spend mine. Money isn't an issue here, though."

"Then why bring it up?" Amelda inquired casually. "Sit down, Seto. You don't need to stand there like you're lecturing me."

Reluctantly, Seto sat down next to him. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Mokuba should have warned me about you. I know why he didn't. He loves you. You're his onii-chan. And he didn't want to turn me off to the idea of you moving in. I don't have a problem with his close relationship to you anymore. I was a little jealous at first that he got to spend an entire month living with you. Now I've been with you just as long, and I believe I know you quite well."

"Hmmm," Amelda agreed, "the basics, yes." He never did go into details about his past.

Almost as if Seto could read his mind, he said, "I don't know everything about your past. But I do know what kind of a person you are at present. This brings me back to what I was saying. I learned over the summer about growth, knowledge, responsibility, and respect."

"Are you talking about work?" Amelda inquired, puzzled. He leaned on Seto. "Talk to me about something else."

"I'm talking about _love_, Amelda," Seto returned with a bite of impatience. The shines in the silver eyes danced at him in amusement. "I want you to grow and unfold for your own sake. I'm not trying to change you to fit my preferences. I am not trying to control you. I can't love someone I can control, anyways. So, there's your proof that I won't be controlling of you. And you need to learn to trust me, Amelda. You love me, you say, but you don't trust me? I can't be your top because you have a fear of someone using you. You've been betrayed so many times in your life. Half of your life has been out of your hands, manipulated by that creep so he could use you to achieve his own ends. I'm not Dartz, Amelda. I want to be your top, too."

Amelda stared into empty space, letting the words sink in. "What was that other stuff you were saying? I know how knowledge and respect fits into this, but what are you responsible for?"

"My responsibility is a self-imposed duty. You are pretty independent and don't need my help for hardly anything. I know that you're a strong person, but you're also human. I want to help you whenever you _do _need it… just be there for you, basically. I wish that you could just let me love you."

"You're talking about my nightmares, aren't you?" Amelda said softly. He sighed. "I'll let you be responsible for that. After all, when I was working with Doom, Raphael was the one who was responsible. I can trust you, Seto."

"Can you trust me to be top?" he asked. His deep blue eyes gazed imploringly into the somber grey. Amelda looked away, obviously hesitant. "You can trust me with your soul but not your ass?" Seto asked, referring to their second duel.

Amelda gave him a guilty grin. "But… it's going to hurt…" he protested, smiling. "I've never been bottom before. I'm not really ready, Seto."

"But, do you trust me?" Seto inquired. Amelda nodded. "Good! That's all I need to know." He picked up the redhead and carried him in the same manner as when he had lost his soul.

"Hang on a second!" Amelda cried, wiggling slightly as Seto carried him up the stairs. "We already had sex!"

"We've done it several times in a row before," Seto replied with a subtle, kinky tone in his voice. "Why should tonight be any different?"

"I'm not ready for this!" the redhead yelled at the top of his lungs as they passed Mokuba's room. "Mokuba! Help me! _Mokuba_!" He squirmed half-heartedly, trying to free himself from his lover's embrace. Mokuba poked his head out the door, giving them a quizzical look.

"Don't worry, Otouto," Seto said calmly, "Your onii-chan is only being a tease." He gave his younger brother a wink and they disappeared into their bedroom. Seto deposited him on the bed, closed the door, and locked it. He strode over to Amelda with a gleaming, proud smile and declared, "You're mine!"


	31. Home

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Period.

Chapter 31

Seto's hand ran up Amelda's thigh over to his abdomen, feeling out ripples like water over stones. Warmth spread throughout Amelda, tingling his lips, fingers, and groin. A succulant kiss graced his open mouth, stiffling an escaping moan. Clothes were discarded without a second thought. Seto's fingers entwined themselves in red tresses, pulling him closer in a merciless kiss. Amelda undulated his entire body underneath his lover, pressing upon him suggestively.

Seto broke apart their kiss to ask, "Do you want to be on your back or your knees?"

Amelda bit his lip, trying to find a way out of being bottom. "That's a loaded question."

The brunette's eyes flashed as he mirrored Amelda's trademark smile. "You can't escape me, my love. I know you want it."

"I said I wasn't ready," the redhead replied, betraying himself with a mischievous expression. The shines laughed at Seto as they danced on the silver pool.

"Liar," the brunette returned. "You can lie on your back. I want to see your face." He caressed the side of Amelda's face, down his neck, and further down. He smiled with satisfaction as Amelda closed his eyes in a spasm of delight. Teeth clashed as he smashed his mouth against Amelda's in another passionate kiss. The sheer pleasure flowing through the two men was enough to question the legality of such an intoxication.

After five or so minutes of foreplay, Seto left Amelda teetering on the edge of ecstasy as he went to fetch the lubricant. The redhead lay immobile with his eyes fluttering, usure of anything except what he now wanted more than everything. "_Hurry_," he moaned softly. The cobalt-blue eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he complied nonetheless. He was more than happy to give Amelda _anything _he asked for - even more happy to be the one to give.

A sharp cry followed penetration. Pressure swelled inside him, and the periphery hurt like hell. Amelda dug his nails into Seto's back, clinging in an almost desperation. His flexibility allowed him to bring his ankles up to the brunette's shoulders, allowing for deeper penetration. Amelda remembered the advice he had so often given his lovers, and he forced himself to relax, breathe deeply, and concentrate on what felt good. Soon, the pain subsided as the pressure mounted, causing a burning pleasure to build up as his G spot was stimulated repeatedly.

Their eyes locked, bonding them into one person, one experience. One climax turned into two; then three until gratification settled in. They each felt complete, whole with the other. A force stronger than need or desire bonded them together. They were two individuals, who remained unique unto themselves, even as one united. They were in love.

* * *

Catching his breath, Seto could hear the blood rushing through his veins. He felt his pulse slow down as he took several deep breaths. Amelda seemed to have fallen asleep after it was over, or maybe he just passed out from over-stimulation. The brunette stared at the ceiling without seeing it. In his mind he thought of everything that had happened to bring him to this day - this moment. 

And what made him smile was that every day from now on was going to be just as grand. He had everything his heart desired now. He felt complete. He thought of his childhood, and he wondered vaguely if his parents had not died would he still be the same person. He thought of the hell his adoptive father had put him through, and the glory of seizing Kaiba Corp right out from underneath the sour old militant.

It struck him that Mokuba had been right all along. He remembered his younger brother's protest that he wanted his nii-sama to smile the way he did before they were adopted. Seto supposed that he had strayed from his true self that day he challenged Gozoboro Kaiba to a chess match. And with each beating and berating he took from Gozoboro, he strayed further still. Even so, he had no regrets.

He did not return to the true path until he first dueled Yugi. The penalty game he played was his first step to this present day - to his present self. Deep down, although Seto would never tell anyone (especially Yugi), he admitted to himself that he was glad he had lost. He was glad that he was able to piece back together his broken heart.

Destroying the duel tower at the end of Battle City had been fun. That, too, was another milestone. He was able to release his anger and hatred of his past, and finally he was able to move forward. The future he planned for himself and Mokuba could be realized. His dream could finally become reality. Then he met Amelda.

Amelda reminded him of the man he could have become had he not awoken his true self, pieced his heart back together, and demolish the hatred he had harbored for so long. Perhaps he wanted to save Amelda for that very reason. He knew that deep down, the pacifist was trying to piece back together his own heart.

Seto glanced over to his lover, slightly surprised to see his silver eyes open and wet. "What's the matter with you? I couldn't have hurt you that badly," Seto remarked. He gazed upon the silent redhead, who returned a soft smile. "Amelda?" He leaned in closer, gracing his face with an intimate caress of concern.

"No, I'm all right," Amelda replied just above a whisper. "I'm more than all right, actually." He exhaled a deep breath as his eyes gazed into space contemplatively. "I was just thinking."

Several seconds lagged before Seto finally asked, "About what?"

"You… me… us," he replied vaguely. A blissful light shined forth from his face. "I don't know how to explain it, but I feel as if I am free. It's as if I had been walking a long journey, and I've finally found a comfortable place to rest."

Seto was strongly reminded of the dream he had the morning of Mokuba's return. He did not say anything, for he still was wary of such things. But he studied Amelda's face carefully, fighting to accept the fact that his expression was exactly as it had been in the dream: Peaceful. He rested his head next to his lover, gazing into empty space, too.

"Do I make any sense to you?" Amelda inquired. He turned slightly to observe any subtle changes in his boyfriend's expression. At most he could tell that Seto took him seriously.

"Yes," the brunette replied confidently. But he neglected to elaborate further.

Amelda knew that Seto would not explain himself. He was okay with that just as long as Seto did understand him. "How long have you known I was in love with you?" Amelda asked.

A small spasm of puzzlement furrowed Seto's brows thoughtfully. "What? Since you told me," he answered as if this was obvious.

"No," Amelda returned. "I think you knew before then. You just never said anything."

Seto thought back. He remembered all the musings he had tortured himself with after he had seen Amelda stopping for those ducks. _Did I know then? _he wondered, thinking of the jog he had taken the next Friday morning. He had been wondering then why Amelda had given up his last turn for him in the second duel. He had denied the answer at the time. "Maybe I did know," he said aloud.

Amelda smiled, satisfied. "When?" he persisted.

Reluctance etched across Seto's features. "I don't know, Amelda."

"Yes, you do."

Seto turned to meet the stormy eyes head on. "I guess I've always known subconsciously, but I'm not sure exactly when I knew. But you're right. I knew you were in love with me before you ever told me - even before I told you. It was something that never needed to be said."

"It's still nice to hear," Amelda replied thoughtfully.

"I suppose," Seto conceded. "Why are you in love with me?"

"How can you ask that?" the redhead returned, surprised. "Aren't you the conceited one?"

"No, that's you."

"I'm not conceited!" Amelda said in a raised voice, dangerously encroaching upon a high decible. "I am as humble as a monk!"

Seto snorted with laughter. "Only when discussing philosophical things are you humble. Otherwise, you are just as bad as me."

"Hmm," Amelda agreed. "You're right. I hate it when you're right!"

A smirk fleeted across Seto's face in his small victory. He grew serious again. "Amelda, why are you in love with me? Why did you give up your last turn?"

The redhead was immensely content that Seto understood that pivotal moment, because it still haunted his own thoughts. "I believed in you," he said simply. "I wanted you to win. I wanted you to be right."

"You just said that you hate it when I am right."

"Uh… that's different. I wanted to be wrong then because deep in my heart I knew that I was. I just couldn't bring myself to face the truth." The pacifist drew a slow, painful breath. "I needed you to do that for me. I was so consumed in my desire to justify Miruko's death. I needed some kind of closure."

"Do you have one now?" Seto queried.

"No," Amelda admitted. "But I have a beginning of one. I feel as if I can finally…"

"Let it go?" Seto suggested helpfully.

Amelda nodded. "Letting him go is the hardest part of all," he whispered. His fingers traced out the muscles in Seto's chest absentmindedly. "Home wasn't just a place or dwelling for me," Amelda informed. "It's where I live. I lived in my own mind for the longest time, dwelling in my most painful memories. I moved in with you because I wanted to make you into my new home."

He gazed deeply into Seto's eyes, and the brunette knew what was coming next. He held his breath, feeling as he had in the dream: willing to do anything for the redhead. Amelda smiled at him benignly and whispered, "You are my heart."

**The End**

* * *

I LOVE REVIEWS! So please, if you've finished this story, please leave a review (even though I have a lot already). I don't think that just because it's finished it doesn't need to be reviewed anymore. Review please! Thank you!

* * *

THANK YOUs

Special thanks to my beta-reader, **Una Morgan**, for all the proofreading! I know you were very busy, and I really appreciate all the wonderful edits and helpful suggestions! Thanks to **Ruka, the Evil Dolphin**, my gamma-reader, for the R&R and being such a cool friend! Thanks to my new delta-reader, **Mandolina Lightrobber**,for helping me with that wonderful suggestion for Chapter 25, finding the little typos and mistakes I somehow missed, all your reviews, support, and friendship! Thanks to **MOG** for the R&R and most importantly for being such a wonderful friend! (glomps) Go Onions! Thanks **Mr. Cat **for your artwork that inspired a part of this story and for the R&R, too! Thanks to **Flying Tiger **and **Sexy Dolphin **for reviewing even though they are not anime fans! Hugs to you both! Thanks to **Llonella**,** dragonlady222**,** Lady Psychic**, and **JouVal-Yaoi-Fanatik **for all of your reviews and enthusiasm! You guys are great!

Thank you to _everyone_ who read and reviewed this story! I am grateful! A big thanks to everyone who has favorited this story! (glomps)

And most importantly, thanks again, Una, for everything! You are my favorite redhead! (Sorry, but I just couldn't resist!)

_Extras _such as deleted scenes, alternate scenes, abandoned concepts, etc. are in the next chapter! Feel free to leave a review if you like! _References_ are in the last chapter, and since I won't be updating anymore you may review that too if it tickles your fancy! Also, _Story Alerts_ for this fic are no longer necessary. You can deactivate them now. If you don't have me on _Author Alert _yet, and you are interested in my upcoming fic, "**Quinquepertitus**," I suggest you put me on _Author Alert_. This next fic is going to be my pride and joy! I love **MP**, but this one is going to leave it in the dust! It's a five part saga about Amelda's life. A lot of material for **MP** was taken from this fic, but I didn't go into details like I will in **Q**. I also must warn you that **Q** will not be as fluffy nor as… well, **MP**'ish as this fic. (If that makes any sense…) See my forum, **Ink**, for further details!


	32. EXTRAS

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh; unfortunately my imagination is not reality.

**Author's Note:** These extras aren't as carefully edited as the rest of the story, so don't obsess over typos or other mistakes, please!

* * *

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

EXTRAS

Abandoned Concepts, Deleted Scenes, and Random Bits

* * *

1. This is the first version I had written to Amelda's date with Ryou in Chapter 12. The pros of this version included that I wrote it so you didn't know it was Ryou until the end. Even my savvy beta-reader didn't figure out it was him until she reached the word, "Egypt." The other pros were that Ryou had a more assertive character, showing that he had healed somewhat from his experience with his yami (keep in mind four years have passed; and no, Lina - I love the old sand rat, but I'm saving him for later!), and that it referred to the background story (Memory Arc) that Amelda had nothing to do with. 

The cons, however, were that it didn't reveal Amelda's weakness to the same depth that I wanted, gave him _too much _information, and made it seem that this was some tangent that I had no intention of exploring. Ryou was a side character - a one night stand. So, you have my reasons.

* * *

Amelda would have ordinarily found the date boring if it were not for the constant distraction of his mind circling back to Kaiba every other moment. Somehow, Amelda had been talked into going to the guy's apartment after their drinks. He sat on the worn sofa, which wheezed a small amount of dust as he did so. The place was as messy as his own, but not nearly as crammed. There were RPG board games everywhere, and little figurines used for the games littered the floor. His date handed him a cup of espresso, making polite conversation, and attempted to gain eye contact. 

Giving up on his present tactic, the date set his own cup down and moved to sit right up against Amelda. He tentatively put his arm around the redhead and leaned in slightly. It worked. Silver eyes stared into liquid sienna, "Is something on your mind?" he asked in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry," Amelda apologized. "I'm just preoccupied. It's been a long day for me." He sighed heavily, looking at the young man's long white hair. "Is your hair naturally this white?"

"Yeah," he replied, running a hand through it. "I've thought about cutting it recently." He bit his lip. Amelda noticed the guy was pretty forward, but seemed intimidated all the same. "What do you think?"

Amelda smiled, thinking of what he did to Mokuba. "I could cut it for you," he replied, giving him his cheshire-cat smile. Amelda studied the guy's face carefully. "If you are a good dancer, I could hire you to work at Bishonen-ai. You're quite pretty."

His date blushed like a rose. "I'm not sure if I'm that pretty," he responded, feeling insecure. "When I went to Domino High a lot of girls fancied me. I was never interested in them. I had a hard time getting close to anyone as it was…" he trailed off, giving a little shiver.

"Domino High?" Amelda repeated. He - of course - never attended the school, but the research he did years ago on Seto Kaiba told him that Kaiba did. And probably around the same time as his date. They looked about the same age. "Why did you move to Osaka?" Amelda asked as politely as he could.

"I had friends in Domino City," he answered. "They were always nice to me, even after what happened in Egypt." He looked up, startled as if he had said too much.

Amelda's eyes widened in surprise. He was beginning to feel a sense of foreboding. "Egypt?" he gulped.

"Uhh…" his date gave a nervous little laugh. "Long story… Anyways, I just ended up here, trying to piece my life back together. Start over…"

"I know what you mean," Amelda empathized softly. Now curiosity got the better of him. "Do you know Kaiba?"

"Yes…" the guy said slowly. "Why? Do you know him?"

Amelda shifted his eyes. "Sort of…" he replied. "What do you think of him?"

"I don't like him in the least," he replied. For the first time, his voice was steady with conviction. "He's mean and arrogant. He's horrible to my friends, especially Jonouchi."

"You're friends with Jonouchi?" Amelda asked, surprised. He had a bad feeling where this was going. He remembered seeing Yugi and his group of friends while the Nameless Pharaoh dueled Grimo, but he had no recollection of the young guy sitting next to him.

"Yeah," he looked apprehensively at Amelda. "How do you know Jonouchi? He's never mentioned you before. Do you know Yugi, too?"

"We've met," Amelda looked straight into the brown eyes of a doe. "It's not a big deal," he lied. He hated lying, but he was feeling panicky at the moment. All thought of his principle on having conviction in the truth left him.  
"Oh…" his date smiled. He was feeling more comfortable with Amelda now. He placed his other hand slightly above Amelda's knee, rubbing it timidly. "I like your pants," he complimented, still smiling cutely and blushing again. Closing his eyes slowly, he leaned in to kiss Amelda, who turned away. The redhead felt soft, moist lips on his cheek. Suddenly, Amelda wanted to be anywhere but where he was. "I'm sorry," he said, hurriedly standing up to leave. "But I don't think this can work out for us." Amelda left as quickly as he could, leaving a half drunk cup of espresso and a very sad Ryou Bakura behind.

When Amelda arrived home for the second time, he found all the lights turned off. He crept into his bedroom as quietly as he could, noting the darkness and the lumpy shape that was fast asleep. He pulled off his boots and changed into his Bedtime Bear pajamas, soundless as the flight of an owl. He slipped into bed, glancing at Mokuba one last time before closing his eyes. He was so drained, he fell asleep instantly.

* * *

2. This scene was cut from Chapter 20. I wanted to have some kind of result with the paper that Mokuba put so much effort into, but it just didn't come out right. You'll notice that I use the same character description here as I did for the journalist in Chapter 20. What became of that journalist? Well, he was "silenced."

* * *

The next Monday, Mokuba went straight to Kaiba Corp after school. His cute little face was red and scrunched in fury. His lower lip pouted and his eyes were watery. He stomped over to the chair opposite Nii-sama, sat down in a huff, and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'll call you back, Amelda," Seto said. He hung up and hit the _Save _button on his computer screen before turning to his brother. "Something wrong?"

Mokuba glared at Nii-sama for a minute; then he whisked out his English essay he had been working on all summer out of his backpack, and handed it to Seto. "Look!" he shouted. "Look!" On the top was a big red zero and _See me after class_.

"I don't get it," Seto perused the contents. "It appears to be your best yet."

"So good in fact that Sensei does not believe that I wrote it! He thinks it's plagiarized!"

Seto looked up at his sibling, astonished. "I know your English is not that good…" he read some of what Mokuba had written. "_You _wrote this?"

"YES!" Mokuba screamed. "I wrote it! I did! Me! Onii-chan helped a little."

"If all he did was help then this is legit," Seto remarked.

Mokuba started to cry. "It's not fair! I did my very hardest this summer! Onii-chan was a big help, but he refused to write it for me! I wrote it! And Sensei wants to see you." He handed Seto a note.

Seto was aggravated. The only time he could remember actually going to see a teacher was during Mokuba's bullying phase. (A/N) "Don't worry, my otouto, I'll take care of this."

Mokuba grinned. _Sensei is dead meat!_

The next day during his lunch, Seto went to visit the English sensei. He opened the door wide, hand outstretched, and made an enterance. Sensei was so startled he dropped all his papers. "Kaiba-san!" he greeted with a rushed formality. "I was just going to have my lunch-"

"If I miss my lunch so do you," Seto ordained. "And it's Kaiba-_sama_."

"Y-y-yes! Of course…" He did not appear to be more than a few years older than Seto. He was really thin, wore an oversized suit, and his glasses slipped down his nose in further alarm as Seto approached him.

Nii-sama handed him the essay. "Mokuba wrote this. I know who was tutoring him over the summer during his absence. I talked with the both of them, and I know for a fact that this is Mokuba's work!" Seto stared at him. The sensei started to sweat, feeling that he was trapped with something that was cold-blooded and poisonous. Now he understood why the other teachers never complained that Mokuba's legal guardian never attended parent-teacher conferences. Usually Isono acted as the middle man.

"Ano," Sensei said with trepidation, "you have not seen Mokuba-kun's previous work. I could understand a marginal improvement, but this is three times if not more the quality than he has turned in thus far."

"It's Mokuba-_sama_," Seto scorned. "And I know his work. He writes a progress report for me every week. Like I said, he had a tutor-"

"While he ran away from home?" Sensei interrupted unwisely. But he had a point.

"Mokuba was the one to arrange it, not me," Seto informed in a dangerous whisper. "I have to hand it to my otouto for making the most out of his time."

"Then, would it be possible for me to meet this mystery tutor?" Sensei inquired in delicate tones.

Seto could not believe the gall of this person! Without a reply, Seto whipped out his cell, called up Amelda, and insisted that the redhead come straight away. Then, he sat down at Sensei's desk, waiting.

Even with the advantage of weaving through traffic on a motorcycle, it took Amelda over an hour to arrive from Osaka. Naturally, he was not in a good mood. "What?" he barked as the door banged open.

"Hello," Seto said calmly. He quickly explained the situation. The sensei looked at Amelda skeptically. Bedecked in leather and a mini-shirt, he did not look too credible in Sensei's opinion.

When he mentioned this, Amelda walked straight up to him until they were nose to nose. "I read, write, and speak _eight _languages fluently, have traveled all around the world, and started my own business. I am more than credible! Mokuba wrote the essay; I helped him. End of story." Amelda stayed to make sure that the correct grade was administered.

* * *

**A/N: **The first time Mokuba is introduced in Yu-Gi-Oh is in the first series manga, and he is a bully. He tried to kill Yugi twice! 

I did not go with this because it was uncomfortable, made the chapter too long, and I felt awkward trying to end the scene. It does tie up one loose end, but this is not really relevant to the story.

* * *

3. This next scene is cut from Chapter 20, also. It comes between the scene where Seto returns home and the scene where Mokuba returns home. I cut it out because I'm not sure how sex education is conducted in Japan, I was too lazy to find out, it's too awkward, and it's not really relevant to the story.

* * *

Seto stopped, remembering Amelda's words to him. "Perhaps," he suggested as he made himself ready to leave for work, "we'll talk about the facts of life tomorrow. You're going to have to learn sometime, and I'd rather you learned from me than your friends, school, or even Amelda." 

"Why not Amelda?" Mokuba asked. "I already had lots of conversations about that kind of stuff."

"Amelda's a pervert," Seto stated firmly. "I'd like to teach you some modesty."

"The talk" did not go as well as Seto had hoped. It turned out that Mokuba already learned his basic anatomy from Amelda, who had insisted that the youth used proper terms instead of slang. Seto was more confused than Mokuba when it came to female anatomy, and he tossed the diagram behind him in frustration. Mokuba retrieved it in a hurry.

"What is this for?" Mokuba asked, pointing to the clitoris.

"I have not a clue."

"How is a baby supposed to fit through here?" Mokuba inquired.

His brother looked shocked. "I never considered that before. Maybe that part is stretchy."

Mokuba bit his bottom lip. "I thought it was supposed to be tight." He tilted the diagram to the side for a better angle. Seto shook his head in frustration. Mokuba asked, "Do you know why women bleed?"

"They bleed? What are you talking about?" Seto asked with instant regret.

"Onii-chan had to look it up online when I asked him," Mokuba recounted, "He said he had forgotten." And then Mokuba proceeded to explain every gory, scientific, and detailed fact that he had learned. He even explained which hormones did what during the menstrual cycle. He did not stop until he noticed his nii-sama's face was a light shade of green. "Are you okay?"

"I think that's enough talk for one day," Seto stated. He got up and left without another word.

* * *

5. This is version 1 of the opening scene to Chapter 25. I abandoned it as soon as I wrote it. I wanted to include Amelda in the scene, so I wrote version 2, still wasn't satisfied, and posted that one for five days as a "Sneak Preview." Then, after receiving some wonderful tips from **Mandolina**, I rewrote it again, and came to the present version you've read already. 

This is the abandoned version to Chapter 25. You'll see why. _Way too _OOC on Seto's part. In fact, once I finished, I realized I was writing Amelda because he _was_ what was missing!

* * *

The CEO's office door banged open. "It's official!" a loud voice announced happily. Seto knew who it was before looking up. In strutted Yoshi Kiyosaki. Technically it was waddling, but Seto could discern the subtle differences. To give his friend time to cool off, Yoshi had not been in contact with Seto since Bishonen-ai. "I have now formed the 'official' Zen Fan Club!" Yoshi exclaimed gleefully. "We even have an online website!" 

Seto was overwhelmed with humor. He rested his head in his arms upon his desk, laughing uncontrollably. Yoshi did not expect this. "What's so funny?"

Seto straightened up, wiping tears away from his cheeks. "If you only knew…" he chuckled, shaking his head. He could just imagine the range of emotions that Yoshi would go through once he told him! "Please, continue," he said in mock formality.

"I am the president," Yoshi elaborated, "and Yoko is… What?" Seto had started laughing again. Yoshi had never seen the cold veneer altered with such a wide grin before.  
"Tell me, Seto!"

"I know Zen _personally_," Seto said in a low, dramatic voice. He paused to watch the torture and excitement course through Yoshi's countanence. "In fact, I neglected to tell you that he and I met four years ago!"

"You _know_ him?" Yoshi breathed in ecstasy. "Tell me _everything_!"

"Well… I can't tell you… _everything_…" Seto dragged out, thoroughly entertaining himself by causing Yoshi to hang onto every word. "But… I could tell you… _something_."

"Tell me!" Yoshi screamed.

"Zen…" Seto smiled evily. "is… my… _lover_."

"No…" breathed Yoshi.

"Yes!"

"No!" Yoshi said, flushing. He felt jealous. "How can that be? You said you weren't gay!"

"You knew better," Seto said softly, smirking. "I did not want to admit it. It was a new territory for me. It was something I couldn't control." He paused, thinking of Jonouchi's words to him about control. He shrugged. "But, I've accepted it, and now I'm _really _happy! If you know what I mean…" He smirked even more; his eyes twinkled maliciously.

Seto watched the progress on Yoshi's face. The jealousy was supplanted by irritation that Seto had not told him sooner. Then, that was replaced with happiness, which exponentially spun out of control into sheer fanactic ecstasy. "You are one lucky bastard!" Yoshi shrieked. He giggled. "I am so envious!"

"You're married," Seto reminded him.

"My wife understands."

"You are one lucky bastard, then."

"Yeah," Yoshi agreed. "Will you share him?"

"Hell no!"

"Ah well," Yoshi sighed. He shrugged and finally sat down opposite Seto. "Let's go on a double date!"

"Okay," Seto agreed without thinking. He figured that Amelda would be cool with it. "It would be a good chance for you to get to know Amelda better!"

"Who's Amelda?"

Seto paused, realizing that Yoshi did not know Zen's real name. He had taken it for granted that because he knew, his friend would know, too. "Zen is a stage name; Amelda is his real name," Seto informed. "Although," he said, finally using his common sense, "you probably shouldn't tell anyone other than Yoko. I don't think Amelda would use a stage name if he didn't want anyone knowing his true identity."

"Right!" Yoshi agreed seriously. "You can count on me! I won't betray Zen! I mean Ame… Wait a minute! How do I know that you aren't playing some kind of trick on me?"

"Yoshi," Seto said matter-of-factly, "it's _me_! Since when do I play tricks?"

* * *

6. This little bit would have gone somewhere within the last two chapters. I wrote it not too long before I was nearly finished, but I hadn't started writing the conclusion yet. I didn't use it for obvious reasons. It's too OOC for Seto. (It's more like Amelda) Also, it's just the wrong tone to the ending chapters of the story.

* * *

"You hypocrite!" Seto scathingly scorned. "Your principles are just a way of covering up your flaws! You are terrified of being controlled and hurt by others as you have been in the past. Your solution was to establish these 'rules' and 'boundaries' in our relationship to limit my so-called control over you, but I only see this as your way of controlling me! You wear your heart on your sleeve as you say, and yet you are more untrusting than I am! How can you trust me with your soul but not your ass? I thought you were in love with me. Why can't you see that I love you? Why can't you trust me to not hurt you, betray you, or leave you?"

* * *

7. An abandoned concept to this story was the setting. Originally I had Amelda living in Kyoto. I moved him to Osaka when I wrote Chapter 19, because I wanted to have a harbor. When I looked at a map of Japan, I realized that Kyoto wasn't next to the ocean. So, there goes the setting!

* * *

8. The biggest abandoned concept to "Mokuba's Plan" was the original plotline to the second half of the story. I had intended for Amelda to move in because he became seriously ill and Seto wanted to take care of him. There would have been no date, no Plan E, and Seto would have still been in denial of his homosexuality. This was a lousy plotline for many reasons in my opinion, but it was something that I could relate to because I had been seriously sick for months. But, I did not get sick until after I had come up with this plotline; and as I got sicker, the less appeal this plotline had. 

This little scene I had written way back in Febuary or so when I first started putting "Mokuba's Plan" down on paper. It's the one of the few bits I wrote using the now abandoned concept. It's quite skin and bones, mostly dialogue, but it has its charm.

* * *

(Seto's working in his study - for a change.) 

He could not concentrate. Seto could hear Amelda coughing non-stop. It sounded as if he should have lost a lung by now. Seto could not help himself; he was beginning to feel sympathy.

(Goes to Amelda.)

"Amelda?"

"No. I'm a clone. The original Amelda died last week and passed the illness onto me." Amelda's eyes twinkled at the mingled look of amusement and exasperation upon Seto's countanance.

"Can I get you anything?" Seto asked.

Amelda was slightly surprised at the note of concern. Presently, he was coughing too hard to answer verbally, so he shook his head 'no.'

"Are you sure?" Seto inquired.

Amelda managed to cease coughing long enough to answer, "I don't know what to ask for to make…" more coughing, "…to make me feel better. I have everything: cough drops, assorted medication, water, etc." He gestured to the table beside him. "If you think of something beneficial, feel free to take the liberty of bringing it to me."

* * *

_That's all folks!_


	33. REFERENCES

**Mokuba's Plan**

By _Pearl of the Dark Age_

**References**

1. **Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the following: Yu-Gi-Oh, Nintendo DS lit, Toyota, DC Comics, Chip'N Dales, Kodak, Styrofoam, the Statue of David, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Armani, Versace, the Academy Awards (Oscars), the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Care Bears, Calvin Klein, Harry Potter, Cracker Jacks, Monopoly, Disney characters (Tinkerbell, etc.), Post-It, and Friends.

2. "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E. L. Konigsburg; published by Atheneum, 1967. This is a very good childrens' book. I got the idea to utilize this book as a plot object _after_ I started writing this story, not the other way around. It isn't really all that relevant to the story. In any case, I strongly recommend reading it if you are a kid, to your kid(s) if you're a parent, or just a kid at heart.

3. There isn't a coffee cup, cooler or packaging material in the world made from actual Styrofoam® extruded polystyrene insulation. Styrofoam® is a registered trademark of _The Dow Chemical Company _that represents its building material products, including insulating sheathing, house wrap, and more. While the expanded polystyrene material in common household products is a good insulator, it has nowhere near the compressive strength and moisture-resisting properties of Styrofoam® extruded polystyrene insulation and polyisocyanurate from Dow.

Polystyrene's most common use is expanded polystyrene (EPS). Expanded polystyrene is produced from a mixture of about 5 polystyrene and 95 gaseous blowing agent. The solid plastic is expanded into a foam through the use of heat, usually steam. Extruded polystyrene (XPS), which is different than expanded polystyrene, is commonly known by the trade name Styrofoam®. Expandable polystyrene is the lightweight material of which coffee cups and takeaway food containers are made.

So I call the cup, "Styrofoam," for the sake of vernacular. If I said "expanded polystyrene cup" the majority of readers would think I've lost my marbles.

4. A _double_ is an American standard size for a bed, which is 61 inches by 79 inches 155 cm by 201 cm. I do own a double size bed, but obviously am not entitled to any copyrights or patents.

5. The _David_ I refer to is the name of a particular and well-known statue made by Michelangelo. (You can google the image. It's well worth it!) Not the ones made by Donatello, Verrocchio, or Bernini. However, the Statue of David was started by a different artist, Agostino di Duccio, in 1463. Michelangelo worked on it from 1501 to 1504, when it was completed and placed in his hometown square. There are many copies, but the original can be found in _Galeria dell'Academia _in Firenze (Florence), Italy.

6. …_beaten to the punch_. To beat someone to the punch is an American idiom that means to do something before someone else can do it. I'm trying to stay away from such expressions but they do liven up the diction sometimes.

7. This guide is for people who are rusty or completely clueless with Japanese.

Japanese to English: _nii-sama / onii-chan _- older brother, _ano_ - similar to the English use of "Well…", _ja ne _- see ya, _atta _- I found it, _bishonen_ - beautiful man/men, _ai_ - love, _oiishii_ - yummy/delicious, _un_ - yeah (a casual yes), _otouto_ - younger brother, _hara-kiri _- (literally: stomach-cut) a ceremonial suicide by ripping open the abdomen with a dagger or a knife; formally practiced in Japan by members of the warrior class when disgraced or sentenced to death, _jii-san _- grandfather, _kisama_ - you (a _very_ impolite version), _bounenkai _- "forget-the-year" party, _getabako _- shoe shelf / cupboard, _(name)-tachi _- (name) and associates, _tansu _- chest of drawers, _washitsu _- Japanese style room, _fusuma _- sliding paper door(s), _moshi-moshi _- a telephone greeting (no literal translation),

8. _Bean-bags _are large bags filled with beans used for lounging in. I don't know how popular they are in other countries.

9. _Chip'N Dales_: A famous showroom in Las Vegas that features male strippers.

10. _A Kodak moment _is an old slogan used in Kodak's advertisement. It means that it's picture-worthy - a moment to treasure forever. I still remember it from my childhood; and anyone who has ever seen the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie knows in which scene that this quote is also used.

11. _Ger _- a Mongolian style home. Google it for an image.

12. _Alfred Hitchcock _- a famous film director.

13. _Armani_, _Versace, and Calvin Klein_ are famous clothing designers.

14. _Dorothy's ruby-slippers _refers to sparkly red high heels that were used in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. In the books, Dorothy wears silver slippers.

15. _Pilates _: a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. It's particularly good for sculpting the perfect abs. Created by and named after Joseph Hubertus Pilates.

16. _Kamiokande Dome _- a big dome in Japan equipped to detect neutrinos, which are particles emitted from the Sun that penetrate the earth in two seconds. They are very small and difficult to detect.

17. _Bedtime Bear _is one of the _Care Bears_, which are assorted colorful stuffed teddy bears with little symbols on their bellies.

18. _Ajvar_ is a spread made of roasted pepper and eggplant.

19. _To butter someone up _means to flatter them until they soften. Usually it's to achieve some advantageous goal on the behalf of the person doing the "buttering."

20. _Cracker Jack Box _is a box of candied popcorn that comes with a very cheap toy inside.

21. In Japan, most people try to "hide" as much as possible in cupboards or closets. Just because you don't see a lot in a room, doesn't mean that a person doesn't own much.

22. In Japan there are no laws to protect homosexuals from discrimination.

23. _Cloud Nine _is the highest level of happiness, joy, and ecstasy (etc.) that you can reach.

24. _Boxer-briefs _are not boxers or briefs, but a sort of hybrid. They're long in the trunks like boxers, but tight like briefs.

25. _Choba dansu _- "merchant's chest" - a kind of _tansu _(7) about three to four feet high.

26. _Play the flute _is the common Japanese metaphor for fellatio.


End file.
